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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bear — the animal
  4. chair — a leader
  5. can — to be able to
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. bound — obliged
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. lean — thin
  10. can — a tin
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. lean — to bend
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. vault — a safe
  20. bound — certain
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. can — a tin
  23. sharp — clever
  24. arm — part of the body

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