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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. drill — army training
  3. bound — obliged
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. dip — to sink
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bound — certain
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. hand — help
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. drill — the tool
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. bear — the animal
  17. hand — in cards
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. drill — a practice
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. arm — part of the body

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