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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: foot · wind · rock · key · ball · rush · bulb · firm

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  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. rush — to hurry
  2. firm — steady
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. firm — decided
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. key — the most important part
  11. rock — a stone
  12. rush — hurry
  13. firm — a company
  14. key — for a lock
  15. foot — a measure
  16. ball — a great time
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. key — in music
  19. bulb — for light
  20. ball — a dance
  21. wind — moving air
  22. wind — moving air
  23. foot — the bottom
  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