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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: firm · current · kick · last · deal · face · racket · cabinet

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. face — to point toward
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. firm — decided
  8. face — part of the head
  9. current — of water
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. last — finally
  12. kick — in football
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. last — to go on
  17. current — happening now
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. firm — steady
  20. last — final
  21. firm — a company
  22. face — to confront
  23. deal — to handle
  24. cabinet — ministers

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