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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: lean · bat · bay · bound · wake · rest · arm · jam

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. bound — obliged
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bat — the animal
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. rest — what's left
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. rest — a break
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. lean — to bend
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. bound — certain
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. lean — thin
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. rest — what's left
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. wake — a trail

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