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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: firm · current · patient · mark · face · perch · nail · chip

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. face — to confront
  6. mark — a grade
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. current — electric
  10. firm — steady
  11. current — of water
  12. firm — a company
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. chip — for betting
  16. face — part of the head
  17. current — happening now
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. face — to point toward
  20. firm — decided
  21. mark — a trace
  22. perch — the fish
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. perch — for a bird

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