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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: jam · bank · face · foot · field · clip · deal · current

  1. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. current — of water
  4. bank — for money
  5. face — to confront
  6. deal — to handle
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. clip — for paper
  9. clip — a video
  10. face — part of the head
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. face — to point toward
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. bank — of a river
  15. current — electric
  16. bank — for money
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. foot — a measure
  19. field — farmland
  20. current — happening now
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. field — for sport
  24. field — a subject

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