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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.

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: fall · foot · band · leaves · spell · calf · bulb · lie

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. band — a music group
  9. foot — a measure
  10. spell — letters
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. spell — a short time
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. bulb — for light
  16. fall — to drop
  17. band — a ring
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — to recline
  20. fall — to drop
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. bulb — for light
  23. fall — the season
  24. calf — a young animal

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