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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · bound · perch · stand · chair · game · arm · rock

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. game — wild animals
  5. bound — obliged
  6. rock — a stone
  7. perch — the fish
  8. roll — a list
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. game — a match
  16. rock — music
  17. chair — a leader
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. stand — to bear
  22. roll — a cake
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. bound — tied together

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