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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: firm · lean · content · bass · ruler · snap · bay · spring

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. spring — a coil
  3. content — the amount
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. lean — thin
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. firm — decided
  8. bass — low music
  9. lean — to bend
  10. firm — a company
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. spring — of water
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. spring — the season
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. bass — the fish
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. firm — steady
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. snap — to click
  24. content — happy

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