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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: arm · hide · hand · branch · firm · perch · bound · pass

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. branch — a division
  4. perch — the fish
  5. bound — tied together
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. firm — decided
  10. hand — help
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. firm — a company
  13. bound — certain
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. hand — in cards
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. pass — a permit
  21. firm — steady
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. arm — part of the body

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