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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: band · temple · sharp · spring · ground · lean · firm · bore

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. firm — a company
  3. firm — steady
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. band — a music group
  6. spring — a coil
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. bore — to tire
  10. ground — the earth
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. bore — to drill
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. lean — thin
  17. spring — the season
  18. firm — decided
  19. spring — of water
  20. band — a ring
  21. ground — a position
  22. lean — to bend
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. ground — crushed

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