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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: staff · deal · bay · suit · spring · firm · chest · bass

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. staff — a stick
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bass — the fish
  6. spring — the season
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. spring — a coil
  9. suit — in cards
  10. chest — a box
  11. bass — low music
  12. staff — employees
  13. suit — to fit
  14. spring — of water
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. suit — clothes
  18. deal — to handle
  19. chest — of your body
  20. firm — decided
  21. firm — steady
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. staff — employees
  24. firm — a company

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