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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: chest · plane · bear · arm · bulb · bound · safe · rush

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bound — certain
  5. chest — a box
  6. bulb — for light
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bound — obliged
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. chest — of your body
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. plane — a tool
  17. chest — of your body
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. rush — hurry
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bound — tied together
  24. rush — a thrill

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