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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: bass · suit · field · calf · hand · mouse · bound · vault

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. suit — to fit
  4. field — a subject
  5. hand — help
  6. bound — certain
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. vault — a safe
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. suit — clothes
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. field — for sport
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. suit — in cards
  17. field — farmland
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bass — low music
  20. hand — in cards
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bass — the fish
  24. mouse — the 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