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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 120 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: chair · mug · bound · arm · snap · bulb · bear · object

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. bear — the animal
  6. object — to protest
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. snap — to click
  9. mug — a cup
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bound — certain
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. mug — to rob
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. mug — a face
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. bulb — for light
  18. object — an aim
  19. bulb — for light
  20. chair — a leader
  21. object — a thing
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. bound — obliged
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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