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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: calf · fan · squash · rule · object · bound · foot · stand

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. object — a thing
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. object — an aim
  6. squash — to crush
  7. squash — the sport
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. rule — government
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bound — obliged
  13. stand — to bear
  14. object — to protest
  15. foot — a measure
  16. bound — tied together
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. bound — certain
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. rule — a law

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