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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: key · scale · firm · face · suit · current · tear · craft

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. tear — to rip
  3. current — of water
  4. suit — in cards
  5. craft — a skill
  6. firm — decided
  7. face — to confront
  8. tear — from crying
  9. firm — a company
  10. key — the most important part
  11. firm — steady
  12. scale — size or range
  13. current — happening now
  14. craft — boats
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. key — for a lock
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. tear — from crying
  19. face — to point toward
  20. face — part of the head
  21. current — electric
  22. key — in music
  23. suit — to fit
  24. scale — in music

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