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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: firm · object · fork · wake · foot · fall · dip · band

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. object — an aim
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. fall — the season
  8. fork — in a road
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. dip — to sink
  11. foot — a measure
  12. wake — a trail
  13. band — a ring
  14. object — a thing
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. band — a music group
  18. fall — to drop
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. firm — decided
  21. firm — steady
  22. firm — a company
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. object — to protest

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