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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: content · face · fork · staff · current · bound · rush · hand

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  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. face — to point toward
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. current — of water
  4. bound — tied together
  5. fork — in a road
  6. hand — help
  7. face — part of the head
  8. bound — certain
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. face — to confront
  11. staff — a stick
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. bound — obliged
  14. content — happy
  15. content — the amount
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. hand — in cards
  19. staff — employees
  20. rush — hurry
  21. current — electric
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. current — happening now
  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