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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: bear · staff · arm · bound · bulb · degree · kick · mouse

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. staff — a stick
  3. bear — the animal
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. staff — employees
  7. degree — an amount
  8. bear — the animal
  9. staff — employees
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. degree — temperature
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. kick — in football
  17. bulb — for light
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. bound — certain
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. degree — from a university
  24. bound — tied together

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