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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 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. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bound — certain
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bound — obliged
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cold — an illness
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. cold — not warm
  14. present — there
  15. snap — to click
  16. stem — to come from
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. present — a gift
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. present — the time now
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. deal — to handle
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. cabinet — ministers

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