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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: fine · straw · row · ball · firm · land · pass · pop

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. row — to paddle
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. pop — to visit
  5. firm — decided
  6. fine — all right
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. land — ground
  9. row — a line
  10. pop — music
  11. fine — high quality
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. firm — a company
  15. land — to come down
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. land — a country
  18. pop — soda
  19. firm — steady
  20. pass — a permit
  21. ball — a dance
  22. ball — a great time
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. straw — dry grass

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