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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.

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 · spell · leaves · stock · fan · object · chair · bound

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. chair — a leader
  8. spell — magic
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. bound — certain
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. stock — goods
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. bound — obliged
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. spell — letters
  18. object — an aim
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. object — to protest
  21. object — a thing
  22. bound — tied together
  23. stock — shares
  24. fan — to cool the air

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