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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: firm · wake · pass · craft · foot · lean · fall · bowl

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. foot — a measure
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. lean — to bend
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. craft — boats
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. craft — a skill
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. pass — a permit
  14. firm — decided
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. lean — thin
  18. fall — the season
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. wake — a trail
  21. fall — to drop
  22. fall — to drop
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. firm — steady

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