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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.

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: fine · bay · bound · rule · calf · craft · hand · mouse

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. fine — all right
  4. craft — boats
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. hand — help
  7. bound — obliged
  8. hand — in cards
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. rule — a law
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. rule — government
  14. bound — tied together
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. craft — a skill
  20. bound — certain
  21. fine — high quality
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. calf — of the leg

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