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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 116 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: face · fine · straw · bass · nail · cabinet · vault · firm

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. face — to point toward
  4. bass — the fish
  5. firm — steady
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. face — part of the head
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. bass — low music
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. firm — decided
  18. vault — a safe
  19. fine — all right
  20. fine — high quality
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. face — to confront
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. nail — for a hammer

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