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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: bear · cap · wake · firm · bound · chair · content · stock

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. cap — a lid
  3. bear — the animal
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. bound — obliged
  6. chair — a leader
  7. stock — goods
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. content — the amount
  13. firm — steady
  14. cap — a hat
  15. bound — tied together
  16. wake — a trail
  17. stock — shares
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. content — happy
  21. firm — a company
  22. cap — of ice
  23. bear — the animal
  24. firm — decided

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