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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 116 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: sharp · bank · current · face · lie · straw · deal · key

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. face — to confront
  3. bank — for money
  4. lie — to recline
  5. face — to point toward
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. sharp — clever
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. current — electric
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. key — the most important part
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. bank — for money
  15. current — happening now
  16. deal — to handle
  17. key — for a lock
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. current — of water
  21. face — part of the head
  22. key — in music
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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