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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: fine · lean · mine · pop · bound · firm · rest · can

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. pop — soda
  3. lean — thin
  4. can — to be able to
  5. fine — high quality
  6. bound — certain
  7. bound — obliged
  8. mine — for digging
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. pop — to visit
  11. pop — music
  12. rest — a break
  13. firm — a company
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. firm — decided
  16. bound — tied together
  17. fine — all right
  18. lean — to bend
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. can — a tin
  21. rest — what's left
  22. firm — steady
  23. can — a tin
  24. fine — a penalty

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