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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
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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: hide · perch · court · lean · bound · firm · bay · bear

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. lean — thin
  4. bound — obliged
  5. court — of a king
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bear — the animal
  11. court — of law
  12. bound — tied together
  13. firm — steady
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. firm — a company
  16. perch — the fish
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. bear — the animal
  19. firm — decided
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. court — for sport
  22. bound — certain
  23. lean — to bend
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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