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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: straw · face · cue · key · current · lie · prune · bark

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. face — to point toward
  3. current — electric
  4. prune — to trim
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. prune — to trim
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. key — the most important part
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. face — part of the head
  15. cue — a signal
  16. lie — to recline
  17. bark — to shout
  18. face — to confront
  19. current — of water
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. cue — for pool
  22. key — in music
  23. current — happening now
  24. cue — a hint

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