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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: firm · present · row · dip · roll · bass · charge · lean

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. firm — a company
  3. roll — a list
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. present — the time now
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. bass — low music
  8. bass — the fish
  9. present — there
  10. lean — to bend
  11. charge — electricity
  12. charge — a price
  13. row — to paddle
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. lean — thin
  17. row — a line
  18. firm — decided
  19. present — a gift
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. dip — to sink
  22. roll — a cake
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. firm — steady

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