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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 116 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. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. chair — a leader
  6. bound — certain
  7. club — for dancing
  8. sharp — clever
  9. bound — obliged
  10. band — a music group
  11. cue — a signal
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. club — for golf
  14. band — a ring
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. club — a group
  17. perch — the fish
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bear — the animal
  20. cue — for pool
  21. bear — the animal
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. cue — a hint
  24. sharp — exactly

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