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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: spring · ruler · mug · bound · deal · content · firm · stock

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. bound — tied together
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. spring — the season
  6. stock — goods
  7. deal — to handle
  8. content — the amount
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. mug — a face
  11. bound — obliged
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. firm — steady
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. spring — a coil
  17. firm — a company
  18. firm — decided
  19. mug — a cup
  20. spring — of water
  21. bound — certain
  22. stock — shares
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. content — happy

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