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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. face — part of the head
  4. current — electric
  5. face — to point toward
  6. cell — in biology
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bank — for money
  9. current — happening now
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. hand — in cards
  13. current — of water
  14. face — to confront
  15. deal — to handle
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bulb — for light
  18. cell — a phone
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bank — of a river
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. bank — for money

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