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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. firm — steady
  4. current — happening now
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. sharp — clever
  7. spring — a coil
  8. wake — a trail
  9. rush — hurry
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. rock — music
  12. mine — for digging
  13. firm — decided
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. spring — the season
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. rock — a stone
  20. current — electric
  21. spring — of water
  22. current — of water
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. wake — before a funeral

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