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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · game · toast · rush · fall · mine · suit

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. fall — the season
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. fall — to drop
  6. firm — steady
  7. toast — bread
  8. suit — clothes
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. game — a match
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. suit — to fit
  14. firm — a company
  15. mine — for digging
  16. fall — to drop
  17. firm — decided
  18. suit — in cards
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. game — wild animals
  21. pound — a weight
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. rush — hurry

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