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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: calf · patient · cue · cap · pound · bark · bay · bound

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bound — certain
  4. bound — obliged
  5. cap — a hat
  6. cue — for pool
  7. bound — tied together
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. cap — of ice
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. cue — a signal
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. cap — a lid
  24. cue — a hint

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