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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: land · current · file · cell · bear · racket · ball · face

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. file — a document
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. cell — a phone
  6. file — a line of people
  7. current — happening now
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a dance
  10. land — a country
  11. bear — the animal
  12. face — to point toward
  13. current — electric
  14. face — part of the head
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. file — a tool
  17. ball — a great time
  18. face — to confront
  19. cell — in biology
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. land — ground
  22. bear — the animal
  23. current — of water
  24. land — to come down

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