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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: spell · calf · bulb · pound · saw · key · hand · wound

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. bulb — for light
  3. wound — an injury
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. saw — the tool
  8. hand — help
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. saw — the tool
  11. spell — a short time
  12. wound — an injury
  13. hand — in cards
  14. key — for a lock
  15. spell — magic
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. pound — a weight
  19. key — the most important part
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. key — in music
  22. spell — letters
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bulb — for light

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