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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. craft — boats
  5. cell — a phone
  6. wind — moving air
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bound — obliged
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. wind — moving air
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. chip — to eat
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. bound — certain
  16. cell — in biology
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. craft — a skill
  20. fork — in a road
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. chip — for betting

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