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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: wind · calf · rule · perch · vault · suit · bore · bound

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. vault — a safe
  4. bore — to tire
  5. suit — clothes
  6. wind — moving air
  7. rule — a law
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. perch — the fish
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. bound — tied together
  14. suit — to fit
  15. suit — in cards
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. bore — to drill
  19. bound — certain
  20. rule — government
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. wind — moving air
  23. bound — obliged
  24. calf — of the leg

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