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

Word bank: branch · land · bound · bay · calf · pass

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. land — a country
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bound — obliged
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. branch — a division
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bound — certain
  13. land — to come down
  14. pass — a permit
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. bound — tied together
  18. land — ground

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