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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: mark · current · spring · scale · arm · cue · bay · face

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. current — happening now
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. spring — a coil
  8. spring — of water
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. face — part of the head
  11. spring — the season
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. cue — a signal
  14. mark — a grade
  15. scale — in music
  16. cue — for pool
  17. current — electric
  18. scale — size or range
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. mark — a trace
  21. current — of water
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. face — to point toward
  24. face — to confront

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