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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: bank · spring · foot · wave · bound · ground · stick · firm

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. firm — decided
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. spring — the season
  5. spring — of water
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. firm — a company
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. ground — a position
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. spring — a coil
  16. bank — for money
  17. bound — certain
  18. ground — the earth
  19. firm — steady
  20. bound — obliged
  21. foot — a measure
  22. ground — crushed
  23. bank — for money
  24. bound — tied together

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