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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: cabinet · wind · date · fine · bass · firm · present · deal

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. fine — high quality
  3. deal — to handle
  4. present — a gift
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. fine — all right
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. bass — low music
  9. present — the time now
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. firm — decided
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. present — there
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. bass — the fish
  19. date — the fruit
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. firm — a company
  22. firm — steady
  23. wind — moving air
  24. wind — moving air

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