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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: jam · rock · hand · wave · object · firm · rush · field

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. hand — in cards
  3. hand — help
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. rock — music
  7. firm — a company
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. rock — a stone
  10. field — a subject
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. object — an aim
  13. field — for sport
  14. rush — hurry
  15. field — farmland
  16. object — to protest
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. firm — decided
  20. object — a thing
  21. firm — steady
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. rush — to hurry

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