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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: charge · stick · march · bulb · firm · calf · bound · pound

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. bound — certain
  4. firm — a company
  5. bound — obliged
  6. march — the month
  7. bulb — for light
  8. march — music
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. charge — a price
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. march — the month
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bulb — for light
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. pound — a weight
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bound — tied together
  20. charge — in control
  21. charge — electricity
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. firm — steady

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