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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 116 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: content · club · fall · march · bound · cabinet · firm · fine

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. firm — decided
  3. firm — steady
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. fall — the season
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. bound — tied together
  8. club — for dancing
  9. march — the month
  10. bound — certain
  11. club — a group
  12. march — music
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. fall — to drop
  15. bound — obliged
  16. fine — all right
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. firm — a company
  19. fine — high quality
  20. march — the month
  21. club — for golf
  22. content — happy
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. fall — to drop

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