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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 120 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: rock · firm · spring · stick · present · kid · mark · racket

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. mark — a grade
  3. mark — a trace
  4. spring — of water
  5. spring — a coil
  6. kid — to tease
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. kid — child
  10. present — the time now
  11. firm — steady
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. spring — the season
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rock — music
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. present — a gift
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. firm — a company
  23. present — there
  24. rock — a stone

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