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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.

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: cell · straw · leaves · bound · object · calf · bear · sharp

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. bound — tied together
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. object — a thing
  8. object — to protest
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bound — certain
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. cell — in biology
  14. object — an aim
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. bound — obliged
  17. sharp — clever
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. cell — a phone
  21. bear — the animal
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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