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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
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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: spring · firm · bass · row · sharp · current · present · arm

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. sharp — clever
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. current — of water
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. row — a line
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. firm — a company
  11. bass — low music
  12. firm — decided
  13. current — electric
  14. row — to paddle
  15. present — a gift
  16. spring — the season
  17. present — there
  18. spring — of water
  19. bass — the fish
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. spring — a coil
  22. current — happening now
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. firm — steady

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