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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 · bound · land · wave · leaves · calf · bulb · cabinet

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. land — ground
  5. net — for catching
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. land — a country
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bulb — for light
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bound — certain
  19. net — after costs
  20. land — to come down
  21. net — in sport
  22. bulb — for light
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. calf — a young animal

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