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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 120 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: dip · wound · bound · firm · stock · face · present · prune

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. present — there
  3. dip — to sink
  4. face — to confront
  5. firm — steady
  6. present — a gift
  7. face — part of the head
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. firm — a company
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. bound — tied together
  12. stock — goods
  13. bound — certain
  14. present — the time now
  15. wound — an injury
  16. firm — decided
  17. prune — to trim
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. face — to point toward
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bound — obliged
  23. stock — shares
  24. wound — an injury

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