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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.

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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: bound · staff · trunk · stand · bear · arm · ground · key

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  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. stand — on your feet
  2. bear — the animal
  3. ground — a position
  4. stand — to bear
  5. ground — the earth
  6. staff — a stick
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. bound — obliged
  9. staff — employees
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. key — in music
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. bound — certain
  14. key — for a lock
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. ground — crushed
  18. staff — employees
  19. bear — the animal
  20. key — the most important part
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. arm — part of the body
  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