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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 · key · temple · current · pitcher · pit · face · hand

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. firm — steady
  4. hand — help
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. face — part of the head
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. key — the most important part
  11. current — electric
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. key — for a lock
  14. face — to confront
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. face — to point toward
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. firm — a company
  19. pit — a hole
  20. current — of water
  21. hand — in cards
  22. current — happening now
  23. pit — in a race
  24. firm — decided

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