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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: fan · face · bank · arm · deal · last · lean · current

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. face — to confront
  3. last — final
  4. bank — for money
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. deal — to handle
  7. last — finally
  8. current — of water
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. lean — thin
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. last — to go on
  14. face — part of the head
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bank — for money
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. current — electric
  22. current — happening now
  23. lean — to bend
  24. arm — a part of something

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