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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.

Make a worksheet

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: face · hand · current · plane · stick · rush · kid · racket

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. face — to point toward
  6. kid — to tease
  7. hand — in cards
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. current — of water
  10. rush — hurry
  11. plane — a tool
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. current — electric
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. face — part of the head
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. kid — child
  23. face — to confront
  24. hand — help

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