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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: sharp · bass · rule · dip · nail · rest · firm · foot

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. foot — a measure
  3. bass — the fish
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. rule — a law
  6. sharp — clever
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. firm — steady
  9. rest — a break
  10. rest — what's left
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. firm — decided
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. firm — a company
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. rest — what's left
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bass — low music
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. rule — government
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. dip — to sink

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