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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: net · hide · face · vault · mouse · can · nail · current

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. face — to confront
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. vault — a safe
  6. current — happening now
  7. face — to point toward
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. current — of water
  10. can — to be able to
  11. current — electric
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. can — a tin
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. can — a tin
  16. net — after costs
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. net — in sport
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. face — part of the head
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. hide — animal skin

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