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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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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: bound · sharp · rock · branch · calf · rest · spell · key

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. key — in music
  4. rest — a break
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. rest — what's left
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. rock — a stone
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. bound — certain
  11. sharp — clever
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. key — for a lock
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. bound — obliged
  16. spell — magic
  17. rock — music
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. spell — letters
  21. key — the most important part
  22. branch — a division
  23. spell — a short time
  24. rest — what's left

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