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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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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: kick · current · shower · saw · key · deal · trunk · fine

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. shower — rain
  3. saw — the tool
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. fine — high quality
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. fine — all right
  9. saw — the tool
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. key — the most important part
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. current — happening now
  14. current — electric
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. key — in music
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. shower — to wash
  19. deal — to handle
  20. current — of water
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. kick — in football
  23. key — for a lock
  24. kick — with a leg

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