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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: firm · bore · sharp · face · bowl · staff · perch · chest

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. staff — a stick
  3. staff — employees
  4. face — to point toward
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bore — to tire
  8. staff — employees
  9. face — part of the head
  10. bore — to drill
  11. firm — a company
  12. perch — the fish
  13. firm — decided
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. chest — of your body
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. sharp — clever
  20. chest — a box
  21. face — to confront
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. chest — of your body
  24. bowl — to roll

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