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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: calf · nail · stand · cue · bore · bound · race · track

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. cue — for pool
  3. cue — a hint
  4. race — a contest
  5. cue — a signal
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. track — a song
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. race — the arms race
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. track — a path
  13. race — humankind
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bore — to tire
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. track — to keep track
  19. bore — to drill
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. stand — to bear
  22. bound — obliged
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bound — certain

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