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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. drill — a practice
  4. drill — army training
  5. bass — low music
  6. current — electric
  7. fine — high quality
  8. current — of water
  9. bass — the fish
  10. fine — all right
  11. scale — in music
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. drill — the tool
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. chest — a box
  18. chest — of your body
  19. scale — size or range
  20. firm — decided
  21. firm — steady
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. firm — a company
  24. current — happening now

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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