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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 · saw · stick · fine · chest · face · rock · current

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. chest — a box
  3. firm — steady
  4. firm — decided
  5. fine — high quality
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. chest — of your body
  8. saw — the tool
  9. saw — the tool
  10. current — happening now
  11. current — of water
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. firm — a company
  15. face — to confront
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. rock — music
  19. current — electric
  20. face — to point toward
  21. chest — of your body
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. rock — a stone
  24. fine — all right

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