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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 116 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: pop · firm · key · current · prune · racket · wind · face

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. prune — to trim
  4. firm — steady
  5. firm — decided
  6. current — happening now
  7. current — of water
  8. key — the most important part
  9. wind — moving air
  10. current — electric
  11. face — part of the head
  12. pop — to visit
  13. face — to point toward
  14. firm — a company
  15. pop — music
  16. face — to confront
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. wind — moving air
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. key — for a lock
  22. prune — to trim
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. key — in music

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