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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pit · chair · bulb · track · bound · perch · rash · calf

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. bound — certain
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. chair — a leader
  7. pit — in a race
  8. bound — tied together
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. rash — hasty
  11. pit — a hole
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. track — a song
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. perch — the fish
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. track — a path
  20. bulb — for light
  21. rash — a series
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bulb — for light
  24. track — to keep track

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