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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bank · spring · sharp · present · firm · pitcher · wave · stick

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  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. stick — a piece of wood
  2. present — there
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. present — a gift
  7. present — the time now
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. spring — a coil
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. sharp — clever
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. firm — steady
  16. firm — decided
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — of a river
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. bank — for money
  22. spring — of water
  23. spring — the season
  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