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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.

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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.

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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: cold · pop · current · temple · foot · stick · cabinet · mark

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. mark — a grade
  3. cold — not warm
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. foot — a measure
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. pop — soda
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. current — electric
  12. current — of water
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. pop — music
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. cold — an illness
  19. pop — to visit
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. current — happening now
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. mark — a trace
  24. temple — side of the head

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