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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.

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: current · temple · staff · bound · pound · perch · rock · face

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. staff — employees
  4. current — happening now
  5. pound — a weight
  6. current — of water
  7. rock — a stone
  8. face — part of the head
  9. bound — obliged
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. face — to confront
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. bound — tied together
  15. perch — the fish
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. staff — a stick
  19. face — to point toward
  20. current — electric
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. bound — certain
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. staff — employees

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