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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: face · cap · racket · current · mate · staff · bore · march

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. march — the month
  3. current — of water
  4. bore — to drill
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. mate — to breed
  7. face — to confront
  8. cap — a hat
  9. mate — a partner
  10. march — the month
  11. mate — a friend
  12. face — part of the head
  13. staff — employees
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. march — music
  16. cap — a lid
  17. cap — of ice
  18. current — electric
  19. staff — a stick
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. bore — to tire
  23. face — to point toward
  24. current — happening now

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