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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 120 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: wake · suit · bowl · content · rock · rush · firm · lean

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. firm — steady
  3. suit — in cards
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. content — happy
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. rock — a stone
  10. suit — clothes
  11. content — the amount
  12. rush — hurry
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. firm — decided
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. lean — to bend
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. lean — thin
  21. firm — a company
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. wake — a trail
  24. rock — music

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