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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bound — obliged
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — employees
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. drill — the tool
  9. bound — tied together
  10. scale — size or range
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. tube — a container
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. staff — a stick
  15. chair — a leader
  16. drill — a practice
  17. bear — the animal
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. drill — army training
  20. scale — in music
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. bound — certain
  24. tube — the underground

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