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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: bear · bass · ball · bore · bound · pop · calf · plane

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  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. bore — to tire
  2. ball — a great time
  3. bound — tied together
  4. ball — a dance
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bound — certain
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bound — obliged
  10. pop — music
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. plane — a tool
  16. bass — low music
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. bore — to drill
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. bear — the animal
  21. pop — to visit
  22. pop — soda
  23. plane — an aircraft
  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