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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
468
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: row · ground · bass · cabinet · firm · cap · wound · arm

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. cap — a hat
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. wound — an injury
  6. firm — decided
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. firm — a company
  9. ground — crushed
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. bass — the fish
  12. ground — the earth
  13. bass — low music
  14. wound — an injury
  15. firm — steady
  16. cap — a lid
  17. cap — of ice
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. row — to paddle
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. row — a line
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. ground — a position

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