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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: prune · bay · fine · calf · bore · bound

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. prune — to trim
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. fine — high quality
  11. fine — all right
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. bore — to tire
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bound — certain

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