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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: suit · face · current · kick · dip · can · clip · foot

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. suit — to fit
  3. current — of water
  4. suit — in cards
  5. kick — in football
  6. suit — clothes
  7. foot — a measure
  8. face — to confront
  9. dip — to sink
  10. clip — for paper
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — to be able to
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. current — happening now
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. clip — to cut
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. clip — a video
  22. face — part of the head
  23. current — electric
  24. face — to point toward

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