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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bear · pop · hide · fine · trunk · sharp · face · current

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. face — part of the head
  3. fine — all right
  4. current — electric
  5. fine — high quality
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. sharp — clever
  10. bear — the animal
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. bear — the animal
  13. current — happening now
  14. current — of water
  15. face — to point toward
  16. pop — soda
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. pop — to visit
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. pop — music
  24. hide — to keep secret

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