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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bore · march · chair · current · trunk · face · cue · pitch

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. face — part of the head
  3. march — the month
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. face — to point toward
  7. cue — a signal
  8. cue — for pool
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bore — to tire
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. pitch — completely
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. cue — a hint
  16. chair — a leader
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. march — music
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. current — of water
  22. face — to confront
  23. current — happening now
  24. march — the month

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com