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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bat · calf · leaves · stand · bound · bulb · ruler · pitch

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. bound — obliged
  3. stand — to bear
  4. bat — the animal
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. pitch — completely
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. bound — tied together
  19. bound — certain
  20. bulb — for light
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bulb — of a plant

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