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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 116 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 · key · dip · firm · stem · bound · ball · tube

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. key — the most important part
  3. bound — tied together
  4. tube — the underground
  5. firm — decided
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. key — in music
  8. firm — a company
  9. key — for a lock
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. stem — to come from
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. bulb — for light
  14. tube — a container
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. firm — steady
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. ball — a dance
  21. bound — certain
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. dip — to sink
  24. ball — a great time

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