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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.

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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: firm · snap · fork · stick · pound · spell

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. spell — a short time
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. snap — to click
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. spell — magic
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. firm — a company
  13. pound — a weight
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. fork — in a road
  16. spell — letters
  17. firm — steady
  18. firm — decided

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