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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 120 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: wave · pitcher · fine · firm · ruler · straw · can · bulb

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. firm — a company
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. firm — steady
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bulb — for light
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — to be able to
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. fine — all right
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. bulb — for light
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. firm — decided
  22. fine — high quality
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. can — a tin

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