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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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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: firm · bound · wound · fan · stem · chest · fine · suit

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. bound — certain
  3. wound — an injury
  4. suit — clothes
  5. firm — a company
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. firm — decided
  8. wound — an injury
  9. chest — a box
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. stem — to come from
  14. chest — of your body
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. fine — all right
  17. bound — obliged
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. firm — steady
  20. suit — in cards
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. suit — to fit
  23. chest — of your body
  24. bound — tied together

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