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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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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: band · bear · fine · firm · date · cap · bound · jam

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. firm — decided
  4. bear — the animal
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. bound — certain
  8. firm — steady
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. bear — the animal
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. cap — a hat
  13. date — the fruit
  14. band — a music group
  15. bound — tied together
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. bound — obliged
  18. cap — a lid
  19. firm — a company
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. band — a ring
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. fine — all right
  24. fine — high quality

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