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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: march · calf · straw · deal · rock · bark · foot · bound

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. rock — a stone
  3. bound — obliged
  4. bound — certain
  5. march — the month
  6. foot — a measure
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. deal — to handle
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. march — music
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. rock — music
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. march — the month
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bark — to shout
  24. rock — to move gently

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