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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: bulb · charge · fork · bound · plane · fan · firm · stick

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. firm — steady
  4. bound — certain
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. bulb — for light
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. charge — a price
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. charge — in control
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. charge — electricity
  14. plane — a tool
  15. fork — in a road
  16. bulb — for light
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. firm — a company
  21. bound — obliged
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. firm — decided
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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