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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: fine · temple · current · cabinet · chair · stick · nail · staff

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. staff — a stick
  3. staff — employees
  4. current — of water
  5. chair — a leader
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. fine — high quality
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. current — happening now
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. staff — employees
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. current — electric
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. fine — all right
  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