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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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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: firm · pound · bound · fork · calf · wind

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. pound — a weight
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. firm — decided
  7. bound — certain
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. wind — moving air
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bound — tied together
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. fork — in a road
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. firm — steady
  18. firm — a company

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