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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.

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: stick · season · roll · bark · face · snap · fine · current

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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. fine — a penalty
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. season — of the year
  5. fine — all right
  6. season — in sport
  7. bark — to shout
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. roll — a list
  11. current — of water
  12. current — happening now
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. snap — to click
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. fine — high quality
  17. face — to confront
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. roll — a cake
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. face — part of the head
  22. current — electric
  23. face — to point toward
  24. season — to add flavour

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