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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.

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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: pound · last · fan · ball · cell · rush · firm · craft

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. firm — steady
  3. ball — a dance
  4. cell — in biology
  5. craft — a skill
  6. firm — a company
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. rush — hurry
  9. firm — decided
  10. last — final
  11. craft — boats
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. last — to go on
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. cell — a phone
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. ball — a great time
  21. last — finally
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. pound — a weight

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