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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: dip · roll · spring · nail · squash · snap · deal · firm

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. spring — of water
  3. firm — a company
  4. spring — the season
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. firm — decided
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. squash — to crush
  10. spring — a coil
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. firm — steady
  13. roll — a cake
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. deal — to handle
  19. roll — a list
  20. dip — to sink
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. squash — the sport
  24. snap — to click

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