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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: ball · stem · firm · dip · object · rock · bound · perch

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. firm — steady
  3. bound — obliged
  4. rock — music
  5. object — a thing
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. object — an aim
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. dip — to sink
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. bound — certain
  12. object — to protest
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. bound — tied together
  15. firm — a company
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. firm — decided
  19. ball — a dance
  20. stem — to come from
  21. perch — the fish
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. rock — a stone

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