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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: pound · key · ruler · calf · bound · fan · bulb · kid

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. key — the most important part
  3. kid — child
  4. bound — obliged
  5. pound — a weight
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. bound — tied together
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. key — for a lock
  13. bound — certain
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. bulb — for light
  19. kid — to tease
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bulb — for light

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