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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 120 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
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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: can · chair · deal · bound · lean · spell · perch · bark

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. lean — to bend
  3. spell — a short time
  4. bound — certain
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — the fish
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. can — a tin
  9. deal — to handle
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. lean — thin
  13. can — to be able to
  14. bound — obliged
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bark — to shout
  18. can — a tin
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. chair — a leader
  21. spell — magic
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. deal — an agreement

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