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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: fine · cabinet · date · calf · bound · bore · band · bark

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. band — a ring
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. bound — certain
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. bore — to drill
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. fine — high quality
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bark — to shout
  18. date — the fruit
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. fine — all right
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bore — to tire
  23. band — a music group
  24. bound — tied together

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