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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: fine · spell · firm · track · rush · fan · shower · content

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. firm — a company
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. track — a song
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. spell — magic
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. content — happy
  9. firm — steady
  10. spell — letters
  11. shower — to wash
  12. fine — all right
  13. track — to keep track
  14. firm — decided
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. spell — a short time
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. fine — high quality
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. track — a path
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. shower — rain

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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