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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: lean · key · current · bound · perch · pound · ball · arm

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. ball — a great time
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. current — of water
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. ball — a dance
  10. pound — a weight
  11. current — electric
  12. key — for a lock
  13. bound — tied together
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. lean — to bend
  16. bound — obliged
  17. key — in music
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. key — the most important part
  20. current — happening now
  21. perch — the fish
  22. bound — certain
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. pound — for dogs

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