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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: mug · calf · bound · fall · wound · spell · trunk · stock

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. fall — the season
  3. bound — tied together
  4. wound — an injury
  5. stock — goods
  6. wound — an injury
  7. mug — a cup
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. spell — letters
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. bound — certain
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. fall — to drop
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. stock — shares
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. mug — to rob
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. spell — a short time
  20. mug — a face
  21. bound — obliged
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. fall — to drop

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