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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: prune · bay · fine · calf · bore · bound · charge · mate

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. fine — all right
  4. charge — in control
  5. mate — a partner
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bore — to tire
  8. mate — a friend
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. charge — electricity
  11. bound — certain
  12. prune — to trim
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. fine — high quality
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bore — to drill
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. charge — a price
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. bound — obliged
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. mate — to breed

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