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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.

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: pound · saw · bound · patient · calf · court · rock · safe

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. court — of a king
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. court — for sport
  6. rock — music
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. saw — the tool
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. bound — tied together
  12. pound — a weight
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. court — of law
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. rock — a stone
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. saw — the tool
  21. bound — certain
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. pound — for dogs

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