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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: mate · drill · cell · toast · mouse · lean · bound · staff

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. lean — thin
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. drill — army training
  5. mate — a friend
  6. toast — bread
  7. staff — employees
  8. bound — tied together
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. bound — certain
  14. drill — a practice
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. lean — to bend
  17. mate — a partner
  18. cell — a phone
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. cell — in biology
  21. drill — the tool
  22. mate — to breed
  23. staff — a stick
  24. staff — employees

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