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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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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: rush · pass · firm · bay · fall · spring · hand · bear

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. spring — a coil
  3. hand — in cards
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. fall — to drop
  8. rush — hurry
  9. fall — to drop
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. firm — decided
  13. firm — steady
  14. hand — help
  15. fall — the season
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. pass — a permit
  22. spring — of water
  23. bear — the animal
  24. spring — the season

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