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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: calf · deal · net · kid · bear · present · staff · bound

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. bound — tied together
  3. kid — child
  4. bear — the animal
  5. present — the time now
  6. net — in sport
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. net — after costs
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. staff — a stick
  11. present — a gift
  12. staff — employees
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. net — for catching
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. present — there
  18. bear — the animal
  19. staff — employees
  20. deal — to handle
  21. kid — to tease
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. deal — an agreement
  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