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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: row · wound · current · mug · fork · temple · face · mine

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. face — part of the head
  3. wound — an injury
  4. current — electric
  5. mug — a face
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. mine — for digging
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. current — of water
  12. face — to confront
  13. row — to paddle
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. mug — to rob
  17. wound — an injury
  18. face — to point toward
  19. fork — in a road
  20. current — happening now
  21. mug — a cup
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. row — a line

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