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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.

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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: hide · bound · calf · leaves · hand · rest · net · suit

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. net — after costs
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. rest — what's left
  5. hand — help
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bound — certain
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. rest — a break
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. net — in sport
  14. suit — to fit
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. net — for catching
  19. hand — in cards
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — clothes
  24. bound — tied together

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