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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: arm · calf · bound · stand · spring · trunk · fan · bear

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. stand — to bear
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bound — certain
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. bear — the animal
  9. spring — a coil
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. spring — the season
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. spring — of water
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bound — obliged

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