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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: degree · firm · mark · can · bound · suit · spring · content

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bound — certain
  3. spring — a coil
  4. spring — the season
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. content — happy
  7. can — a tin
  8. spring — of water
  9. bound — obliged
  10. mark — a grade
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — in cards
  13. firm — steady
  14. degree — an amount
  15. mark — a trace
  16. suit — clothes
  17. degree — from a university
  18. firm — decided
  19. firm — a company
  20. content — the amount
  21. can — to be able to
  22. degree — temperature
  23. can — a tin
  24. mark — to pay attention

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