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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.

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: calf · kid · saw · current · key · racket · mouse · face

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. key — in music
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. current — electric
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. kid — to tease
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. current — of water
  14. saw — the tool
  15. key — for a lock
  16. current — happening now
  17. face — to point toward
  18. kid — child
  19. saw — the tool
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. key — the most important part
  24. face — part of the head

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