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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bark — to shout
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. pop — to visit
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. pop — music
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. branch — a division
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. content — happy
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. bound — obliged
  21. bound — certain
  22. pop — soda
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. content — the amount

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