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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: spring · bay · firm · tear · can · object · squash · bound

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. firm — steady
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. tear — from crying
  5. squash — the sport
  6. can — a tin
  7. tear — from crying
  8. firm — a company
  9. object — an aim
  10. can — a tin
  11. squash — to crush
  12. bound — certain
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. firm — decided
  15. spring — of water
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. spring — the season
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bound — tied together
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. object — to protest
  22. spring — a coil
  23. tear — to rip
  24. can — to be able 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