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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: tear · coach · chair · track · firm · bulb · object · bound

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. track — to keep track
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. bulb — for light
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. tear — to rip
  8. track — a path
  9. bound — certain
  10. tear — from crying
  11. object — a thing
  12. tear — from crying
  13. object — to protest
  14. firm — a company
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. track — a song
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bound — obliged
  19. firm — steady
  20. object — an aim
  21. firm — decided
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. chair — a leader

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