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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 116 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: kick · bear · firm · bound · bore · pound · capital · craft

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. firm — steady
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bound — certain
  9. capital — money
  10. bound — tied together
  11. pound — a weight
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bear — the animal
  14. kick — in football
  15. bear — the animal
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. firm — decided
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. craft — a skill
  22. firm — a company
  23. capital — a city
  24. bear — to put up with

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