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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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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: wave · firm · ground · foot · deal · jam · fall · pass

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. firm — steady
  3. ground — a position
  4. fall — to drop
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. ground — the earth
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. firm — a company
  11. deal — to handle
  12. fall — to drop
  13. pass — a permit
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. firm — decided
  16. fall — the season
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. ground — crushed
  21. foot — a measure
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. jam — in traffic

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