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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: can · cold · pass · calf · saw · bound · lie · board

  1. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. cold — an illness
  3. saw — the tool
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. pass — a permit
  6. bound — tied together
  7. can — a tin
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. board — a committee
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. bound — obliged
  13. can — to be able to
  14. board — to get on
  15. cold — not warm
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. saw — the tool
  20. can — a tin
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. bound — certain
  24. lie — to recline

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