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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bound — certain
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bound — obliged
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. mug — a face
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. content — the amount
  14. bear — the animal
  15. mug — to rob
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bulb — for light
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. content — happy
  20. bear — the animal
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bulb — for light
  24. coach — a trainer

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