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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 120 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: suit · foot · kick · trunk · current · face · fork · fall

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. kick — in football
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. suit — to fit
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. face — to confront
  7. suit — clothes
  8. fall — to drop
  9. current — electric
  10. fork — in a road
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. face — to point toward
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. current — of water
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. suit — in cards
  21. fall — to drop
  22. fall — the season
  23. foot — a measure
  24. current — happening now

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