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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bound — obliged
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. tube — the underground
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bear — the animal
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. wake — a trail
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bound — tied together
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. mate — a friend
  18. mate — to breed
  19. bound — certain
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. tube — a container
  23. bear — the animal
  24. mate — a partner

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