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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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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: bear · staff · cell · trunk · bound · ruler · pound · club

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. cell — in biology
  3. staff — a stick
  4. bound — tied together
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. club — for golf
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — the animal
  12. pound — a weight
  13. bound — obliged
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. bound — certain
  17. staff — employees
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. club — for dancing
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. club — a group
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. staff — employees

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