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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: arm · bound · capital · wave · suit · calf · face · bear

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. face — part of the head
  5. bear — the animal
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. face — to point toward
  10. suit — clothes
  11. capital — a city
  12. face — to confront
  13. bound — tied together
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. suit — in cards
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. bound — obliged
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. capital — money
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  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