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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 · key · firm · rock · stick · rest · can · craft

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. can — a tin
  5. key — in music
  6. firm — steady
  7. rest — what's left
  8. can — to be able to
  9. craft — boats
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. rock — a stone
  13. can — a tin
  14. craft — a skill
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. rest — what's left
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. rest — a break
  19. firm — decided
  20. rock — music
  21. key — the most important part
  22. firm — a company
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. key — for a lock

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