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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. mug — a cup
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. bound — obliged
  7. scale — size or range
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. scale — in music
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. bark — to shout
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. mug — a face
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. mug — to rob
  21. bound — certain
  22. toast — bread
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bay — a horse colour

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