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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: rush · arm · bass · mug · firm · sharp · plane · pound

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. mug — to rob
  3. firm — steady
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bass — the fish
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. mug — a face
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. sharp — clever
  10. plane — a tool
  11. bass — low music
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. rush — hurry
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. firm — a company
  21. mug — a cup
  22. firm — decided
  23. pound — a weight
  24. rush — to hurry

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