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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: stick · sharp · temple · wave · scale · net · lie · firm

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. firm — steady
  3. net — for catching
  4. firm — decided
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. sharp — clever
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. net — in sport
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. firm — a company
  20. lie — to recline
  21. net — after costs
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. scale — in music
  24. scale — size or range

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