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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: object · mouse · chest · trunk · game · root · bowl · bound

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. chest — a box
  3. object — an aim
  4. game — a match
  5. bound — obliged
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. root — the cause
  9. object — a thing
  10. bound — tied together
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. root — of a plant
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. object — to protest
  17. bound — certain
  18. game — wild animals
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. root — of a word
  22. chest — of your body
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. chest — of your 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