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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: cell · wave · nail · firm · face · sharp · stand · land

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. cell — a phone
  3. firm — a company
  4. land — ground
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. land — to come down
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. firm — decided
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. sharp — clever
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. firm — steady
  16. stand — to bear
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. face — part of the head
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. land — a country
  23. face — to confront
  24. face — to point toward

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