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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: net · calf · pound · band · bound · rock · kick · mark

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. net — for catching
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. kick — in football
  7. bound — tied together
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. mark — a grade
  12. rock — a stone
  13. pound — a weight
  14. band — a music group
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. mark — a trace
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. rock — music
  19. bound — certain
  20. net — after costs
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. net — in sport
  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