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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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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: wave · row · foot · mouse · spring · patient · firm · pass

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. foot — a measure
  3. spring — the season
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. firm — a company
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. spring — a coil
  9. pass — a permit
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. row — a line
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. spring — of water
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. row — to paddle
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. firm — decided
  24. foot — the bottom

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