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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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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: mark · bear · roll · cabinet · lean · arm · hand · bore

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. roll — a list
  3. hand — in cards
  4. hand — help
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. mark — a trace
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. bore — to tire
  12. roll — a cake
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bear — the animal
  16. lean — thin
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. bear — the animal
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. lean — to bend
  22. bore — to drill
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. bore — gave birth

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