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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. spring — the season
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. wind — moving air
  5. firm — a company
  6. spring — of water
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. firm — steady
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bass — low music
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. firm — decided
  16. current — happening now
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. wind — moving air
  20. spring — a coil
  21. rush — hurry
  22. current — electric
  23. current — of water
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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