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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: bound · firm · key · club · bulb · wound · bore · present

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. firm — a company
  3. present — the time now
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. firm — steady
  7. club — for dancing
  8. bound — obliged
  9. club — a group
  10. wound — an injury
  11. present — a gift
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. key — the most important part
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. firm — decided
  16. club — for golf
  17. present — there
  18. wound — an injury
  19. bulb — for light
  20. key — in music
  21. bore — to tire
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bound — certain
  24. bound — tied together

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