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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · wind · firm · cabinet · lean · cell · object · fan

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. wind — moving air
  9. object — an aim
  10. cell — in biology
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. firm — a company
  13. bound — certain
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. firm — steady
  16. object — a thing
  17. firm — decided
  18. cell — a phone
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. bound — obliged
  21. object — to protest
  22. bound — tied together
  23. lean — to bend
  24. lean — thin

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