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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: stand · current · lie · rest · net · file · key · can

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. net — after costs
  3. current — electric
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. file — a tool
  6. stand — to bear
  7. rest — what's left
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. key — the most important part
  10. key — in music
  11. current — of water
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. lie — to recline
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. rest — what's left
  16. file — a line of people
  17. file — a document
  18. can — a tin
  19. key — for a lock
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — to be able to
  22. rest — a break
  23. current — happening now
  24. net — for catching

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