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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 · foot · sharp · bulb · wind · game · bank · cap

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. bank — of a river
  4. firm — a company
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. wind — moving air
  8. foot — a measure
  9. cap — a lid
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — for light
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. cap — a hat
  14. cap — of ice
  15. sharp — clever
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — for money
  18. firm — steady
  19. game — a match
  20. game — wild animals
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. firm — decided

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