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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: firm · mark · current · bank · deal · present · fan · face

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. current — electric
  3. face — part of the head
  4. face — to confront
  5. bank — for money
  6. present — the time now
  7. firm — decided
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. firm — steady
  10. bank — for money
  11. present — a gift
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. deal — to handle
  14. mark — a trace
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. current — of water
  18. present — there
  19. current — happening now
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. mark — a grade
  22. bank — of a river
  23. firm — a company
  24. face — to point toward

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