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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. face — to point toward
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. sharp — clever
  6. net — in sport
  7. key — for a lock
  8. current — electric
  9. face — part of the head
  10. current — happening now
  11. key — in music
  12. net — for catching
  13. net — after costs
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. capital — money
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. capital — a city
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. face — to confront
  22. key — the most important part
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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