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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: object · jam · game · bound · rock · spring · mate · firm

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. mate — to breed
  3. rock — music
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. firm — steady
  7. mate — a partner
  8. object — an aim
  9. bound — certain
  10. object — a thing
  11. spring — of water
  12. spring — a coil
  13. firm — a company
  14. mate — a friend
  15. rock — a stone
  16. bound — obliged
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. firm — decided
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. game — wild animals
  21. spring — the season
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. object — to protest
  24. game — a match

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