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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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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: firm · stick · row · wind · temple · mug · sharp · wave

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. row — a line
  3. firm — steady
  4. firm — a company
  5. row — to paddle
  6. mug — a cup
  7. firm — decided
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. wind — moving air
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. wind — moving air
  13. sharp — clever
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. mug — a face
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. mug — to rob
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. temple — side of the head

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