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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: bound · board · firm · coach · bulb · snap

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. board — to get on
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. bound — certain
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bulb — for light
  7. firm — steady
  8. board — a committee
  9. firm — decided
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. bulb — for light
  13. snap — to click
  14. bound — tied together
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. firm — a company

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