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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. current — happening now
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. ball — a great time
  6. kick — in football
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. current — electric
  10. foot — a measure
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. ball — a dance
  13. face — to confront
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. face — to point toward
  17. pitch — completely
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. face — part of the head
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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