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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: mug · chair · cabinet · foot · bark · toast · fine · bound

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. bound — tied together
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. chair — a leader
  6. foot — a measure
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. mug — to rob
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. mug — a face
  12. fine — high quality
  13. bound — obliged
  14. toast — bread
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. bound — certain
  17. fine — all right
  18. bark — to shout
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. mug — a cup
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. chair — a professorship

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