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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 · suit · ground · wound · lie · chip · bass · wind

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. ground — a position
  3. chip — to eat
  4. wound — an injury
  5. chip — for betting
  6. ground — the earth
  7. firm — a company
  8. bass — low music
  9. bass — the fish
  10. ground — crushed
  11. suit — clothes
  12. wind — moving air
  13. suit — to fit
  14. wind — moving air
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — to recline
  17. wound — an injury
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. suit — in cards
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. firm — steady
  24. wind — to turn a key

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