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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 · mine · stick · dip · bowl · ground · rest · lean

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. mine — for digging
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. firm — decided
  6. rest — what's left
  7. ground — the earth
  8. firm — steady
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. lean — thin
  11. dip — to sink
  12. ground — crushed
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. rest — what's left
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. rest — a break
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. firm — a company
  21. ground — a position
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. lean — to bend
  24. mine — belonging to me

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