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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: court · mug · pass · spring · firm · stick · game · bass

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. game — a match
  3. firm — steady
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. spring — a coil
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. game — wild animals
  8. mug — a cup
  9. firm — decided
  10. bass — the fish
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. spring — of water
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. mug — to rob
  16. court — of a king
  17. court — of law
  18. firm — a company
  19. mug — a face
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. court — for sport
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bass — low music
  24. pass — a permit

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