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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: bound · cue · bark · jam · bank · fork · field · calf

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bank — for money
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. bank — for money
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. field — for sport
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. cue — a hint
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. bark — to shout
  13. fork — in a road
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. field — a subject
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bound — obliged
  19. cue — for pool
  20. bank — of a river
  21. cue — a signal
  22. field — farmland
  23. bound — certain
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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