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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: current · fall · mug · net · face · rock · deal · key

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. mug — to rob
  3. face — to confront
  4. mug — a cup
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. key — for a lock
  7. face — to point toward
  8. mug — a face
  9. fall — to drop
  10. key — the most important part
  11. fall — the season
  12. rock — a stone
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. net — after costs
  15. fall — to drop
  16. face — part of the head
  17. net — for catching
  18. rock — music
  19. net — in sport
  20. current — happening now
  21. deal — to handle
  22. key — in music
  23. current — of water
  24. deal — a big deal

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