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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.

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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. track — to keep track
  3. staff — a stick
  4. current — of water
  5. face — to point toward
  6. staff — employees
  7. bank — for money
  8. net — for catching
  9. track — a song
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bank — of a river
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. track — a path
  14. current — happening now
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. net — after costs
  17. net — in sport
  18. face — to confront
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. staff — employees
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. face — part of the head
  23. bank — for money
  24. current — electric

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