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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: chest · cabinet · current · temple · firm · bound · stand · saw

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. current — happening now
  3. current — electric
  4. current — of water
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. bound — certain
  8. chest — a box
  9. firm — a company
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. bound — obliged
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. firm — decided
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. stand — to bear
  17. chest — of your body
  18. chest — of your body
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. firm — steady
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bound — tied together
  24. saw — the tool

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