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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: bulb · wake · stock · shower · degree · bear · bound · firm

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bound — obliged
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bulb — for light
  8. firm — decided
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. bound — certain
  11. bear — the animal
  12. degree — temperature
  13. degree — an amount
  14. stock — shares
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. degree — from a university
  17. firm — a company
  18. firm — steady
  19. wake — a trail
  20. stock — goods
  21. shower — to wash
  22. bear — the animal
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. shower — rain

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