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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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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: present · racket · bear · bound · clip · kick · foot · stick

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bear — the animal
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. kick — in football
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. clip — to cut
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. present — the time now
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. foot — a measure
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. clip — for paper
  18. present — there
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bound — tied together
  21. bear — the animal
  22. present — a gift
  23. bound — obliged
  24. clip — a video

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