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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 116 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: plane · cell · bound · bank · perch · mouse · bear · object

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. bank — for money
  3. bound — tied together
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bound — certain
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. bear — the animal
  15. cell — in biology
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. object — an aim
  18. bank — for money
  19. cell — a phone
  20. perch — the fish
  21. object — a thing
  22. bank — of a river
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. plane — a tool

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