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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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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: sharp · bass · bowl · club · dip · land · firm · rule

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. firm — steady
  3. land — to come down
  4. firm — decided
  5. club — a group
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. dip — to sink
  11. land — ground
  12. bass — the fish
  13. land — a country
  14. club — for dancing
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. rule — government
  17. club — for golf
  18. rule — a law
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. bass — low music
  22. sharp — clever
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. firm — a company

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