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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.

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: perch · game · arm · bound · snap · foot · ball · trunk

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. game — wild animals
  10. perch — the fish
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. bound — certain
  13. bound — tied together
  14. foot — a measure
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. ball — a great time
  21. game — a match
  22. bound — obliged
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. snap — to click

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