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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 120 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
468
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: hand · cue · object · bound · can · calf · kid · tear

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. cue — a hint
  3. tear — from crying
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. object — an aim
  6. cue — a signal
  7. can — to be able to
  8. kid — child
  9. bound — obliged
  10. hand — help
  11. cue — for pool
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. can — a tin
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. object — a thing
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. bound — certain
  18. tear — from crying
  19. kid — to tease
  20. bound — tied together
  21. hand — in cards
  22. can — a tin
  23. object — to protest
  24. calf — a young animal

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