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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.

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: face · cap · content · arm · current · calf · fine · firm

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. firm — steady
  3. cap — a lid
  4. content — the amount
  5. current — electric
  6. fine — all right
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. face — part of the head
  9. content — happy
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. cap — a hat
  12. firm — decided
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. current — happening now
  15. fine — high quality
  16. face — to point toward
  17. face — to confront
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. firm — a company
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. cap — of ice
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. current — of water

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