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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.

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: mark · calf · bound · kid · bear · stand · bulb · safe

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. kid — to tease
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. kid — child
  7. bulb — for light
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. mark — a trace
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. mark — a grade
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bound — obliged
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bear — the animal
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. bound — certain
  21. stand — to bear
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. bulb — for light

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