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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. bound — obliged
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. court — of law
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. mine — for digging
  7. bound — certain
  8. date — the fruit
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. staff — a stick
  12. staff — employees
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. bound — tied together
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. staff — employees
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. court — of a king
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. court — for sport
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. calf — a young animal

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