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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: bound · calf · fan · bore · leaves · suit · pound · cold

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. cold — an illness
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. suit — clothes
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. bore — to tire
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. suit — in cards
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. pound — a weight
  13. suit — to fit
  14. bound — certain
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. cold — not warm
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. bound — tied together
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. bore — to drill
  24. bound — obliged

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