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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  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. bear — to put up with
  2. bound — obliged
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bound — certain
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. saw — the tool
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. present — there
  11. perch — the fish
  12. bound — tied together
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. bear — the animal
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. bear — the animal
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. present — a gift
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. present — the time now
  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