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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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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: rest · can · wind · firm · rush · cabinet · mug · bass

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. firm — decided
  3. wind — moving air
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. can — a tin
  6. mug — a cup
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. wind — moving air
  10. firm — steady
  11. mug — to rob
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. rush — hurry
  14. bass — low music
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. mug — a face
  17. rest — a break
  18. can — to be able to
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. bass — the fish
  21. firm — a company
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rest — what's left

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