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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: mouse · fall · spring · saw · firm · stick · last · lean

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fall — to drop
  5. last — to go on
  6. lean — to bend
  7. firm — a company
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. firm — steady
  10. lean — thin
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. spring — the season
  13. spring — of water
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. saw — the tool
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. last — finally
  20. fall — the season
  21. firm — decided
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. last — final

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