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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: cell · bound · firm · bulb · mine · last · staff · can

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. firm — a company
  3. bound — tied together
  4. cell — in biology
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. staff — employees
  8. can — to be able to
  9. can — a tin
  10. last — finally
  11. can — a tin
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. bound — obliged
  14. staff — a stick
  15. firm — steady
  16. cell — a phone
  17. last — final
  18. last — to go on
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bound — certain
  22. staff — employees
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. firm — decided

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