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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 · scale · pop · spring · pit · firm · fan · present

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. pop — soda
  3. spring — a coil
  4. pop — music
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. firm — steady
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. pop — to visit
  9. present — a gift
  10. present — there
  11. firm — a company
  12. pit — a hole
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. scale — size or range
  16. pit — in a race
  17. spring — of water
  18. scale — in music
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. spring — the season
  21. present — the time now
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. firm — decided
  24. wave — of the sea

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