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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: ground · bass · wave · firm · cabinet · game · dip · bay

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. firm — decided
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. bass — low music
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. ground — crushed
  8. firm — steady
  9. bass — the fish
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. firm — a company
  12. ground — a position
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. game — a match
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. dip — to sink
  20. ground — the earth
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. game — wild animals
  24. wave — with your hand

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