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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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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: roll · bound · present · bore · spring · arm · firm · mouse

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. spring — the season
  5. roll — a list
  6. bore — to tire
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. bound — obliged
  10. firm — a company
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. bound — tied together
  13. present — the time now
  14. roll — a cake
  15. present — there
  16. firm — steady
  17. present — a gift
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bound — certain
  20. spring — of water
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. bore — to drill
  23. spring — a coil
  24. firm — decided

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