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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: deal · bound · file · fine · foot · pitch · calf · cap

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. bound — obliged
  4. fine — high quality
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. fine — all right
  8. cap — a lid
  9. file — a tool
  10. cap — of ice
  11. file — a line of people
  12. foot — a measure
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. cap — a hat
  15. file — a document
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. pitch — completely
  18. deal — to handle
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. bound — tied together
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. deal — a big deal

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