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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: roll · date · mark · mouse · fan · bass · bound · firm

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. bound — certain
  4. mark — a grade
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bass — the fish
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. bass — low music
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. roll — a list
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. firm — decided
  15. date — the fruit
  16. bound — tied together
  17. firm — a company
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. mark — a trace
  21. roll — a cake
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. date — on the calendar

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