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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: roll · object · bound · chair · calf · bark · perch · bat

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. perch — the fish
  3. bat — the animal
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. object — a thing
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. object — to protest
  12. bound — certain
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. roll — a cake
  15. bound — tied together
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. bark — to shout
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. object — an aim
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. chair — a leader
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. bound — obliged

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