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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: wake · bear · bowl · stand · arm · toast · drill · bound

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. drill — the tool
  7. wake — a trail
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. toast — bread
  11. bound — obliged
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. drill — army training
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. drill — a practice
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. stand — to bear
  20. bear — the animal
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. bound — certain
  23. bound — tied together
  24. arm — a part of something

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