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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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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: object · bore · perch · firm · trunk · bound · cold · safe

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bore — to drill
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. bound — certain
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. object — a thing
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. object — an aim
  13. cold — an illness
  14. firm — steady
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. object — to protest
  17. firm — a company
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. firm — decided
  20. bound — obliged
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — the fish
  23. cold — not warm
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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