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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: wind · bound · calf · spell · safe · fine · cue · spring

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. bound — tied together
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. spring — the season
  6. wind — moving air
  7. bound — certain
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. spell — letters
  10. wind — moving air
  11. spring — a coil
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. fine — all right
  15. cue — a signal
  16. fine — high quality
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. spell — a short time
  19. cue — a hint
  20. spring — of water
  21. cue — for pool
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. spell — magic

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