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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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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bear — the animal
  3. hand — in cards
  4. hand — help
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. present — there
  8. present — a gift
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. bound — certain
  13. court — for sport
  14. current — of water
  15. present — the time now
  16. current — happening now
  17. current — electric
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bear — the animal
  20. court — of law
  21. band — a ring
  22. court — of a king
  23. band — a music group
  24. cabinet — ministers

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