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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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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 · pound · ground · fall · lie · content · safe · current

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. firm — steady
  3. current — happening now
  4. firm — a company
  5. firm — decided
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. content — happy
  8. content — the amount
  9. pound — a weight
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. current — electric
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. fall — the season
  16. ground — crushed
  17. fall — to drop
  18. fall — to drop
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. current — of water
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. ground — the earth
  23. ground — a position
  24. lie — to recline

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