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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 · current · straw · lie · track · snap · firm · bowl

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. track — to keep track
  4. track — a song
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. firm — steady
  7. snap — to click
  8. spring — a coil
  9. firm — decided
  10. lie — to recline
  11. current — happening now
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. spring — of water
  15. current — of water
  16. current — electric
  17. spring — the season
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. track — a path
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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