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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: wind · straw · saw · firm · rush · bass · stick · land

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. wind — moving air
  4. firm — steady
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. firm — a company
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. land — to come down
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. land — a country
  13. rush — hurry
  14. saw — the tool
  15. wind — moving air
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. land — ground
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. firm — decided
  21. bass — the fish
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bass — low music
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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