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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 · bore · calf · tear · bank · plane · band · toast

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. band — a music group
  3. bank — for money
  4. bound — obliged
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. tear — to rip
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bore — to drill
  9. tear — from crying
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. bore — to tire
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bank — for money
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. toast — bread
  17. tear — from crying
  18. band — a ring
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. plane — a tool
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bound — certain

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