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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 120 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: bound · lean · can · firm · rest · wound · band · arm

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. lean — thin
  4. bound — certain
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. band — a ring
  7. firm — a company
  8. bound — obliged
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — what's left
  12. lean — to bend
  13. wound — an injury
  14. wound — an injury
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — a tin
  17. firm — steady
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. bound — tied together
  20. rest — a break
  21. band — a music group
  22. firm — decided
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. arm — part of the body

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