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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 116 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: fan · sharp · lean · wake · rest · bay · stick · firm

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. firm — a company
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. rest — what's left
  6. firm — decided
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. firm — steady
  10. sharp — clever
  11. rest — what's left
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. rest — a break
  20. lean — to bend
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. lean — thin

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