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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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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: ball · current · racket · trunk · suit · present · face · track

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. ball — a dance
  5. face — to point toward
  6. current — electric
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. track — to keep track
  9. ball — a great time
  10. present — there
  11. suit — in cards
  12. face — part of the head
  13. face — to confront
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. suit — clothes
  16. track — a path
  17. current — happening now
  18. track — a song
  19. present — a gift
  20. present — the time now
  21. current — of water
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. racket — for tennis

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