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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 116 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: bowl · calf · stand · bear · nail · bound · prune · bay

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bound — certain
  4. prune — to trim
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. bear — the animal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bound — tied together
  13. stand — to bear
  14. bound — obliged
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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