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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: arm · bound · perch · foot · court · bark · cabinet · object

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. bound — tied together
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. court — for sport
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. court — of a king
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. court — of law
  11. object — a thing
  12. object — to protest
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. bound — certain
  15. foot — a measure
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. object — an aim
  18. perch — the fish
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bark — to shout
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. bound — obliged
  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