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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: rest · temple · lash · rock · firm · key · fork · current

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. rest — what's left
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. key — the most important part
  5. key — in music
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. firm — decided
  8. rest — what's left
  9. key — for a lock
  10. firm — steady
  11. rock — music
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. rock — a stone
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. fork — in a road
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. rest — a break
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. firm — a company
  22. current — electric
  23. current — happening now
  24. temple — a place of worship

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