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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. cell — in biology
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. cell — a phone
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. plane — a tool
  12. snap — to click
  13. bound — certain
  14. staff — employees
  15. bound — obliged
  16. bound — tied together
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. staff — a stick
  21. staff — employees
  22. bear — the animal
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. cell — in a prison

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