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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: bore · wound · game · spell · lean · spring · calf · craft

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. craft — a skill
  3. game — a match
  4. spell — a short time
  5. spell — letters
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. bore — to tire
  10. spring — a coil
  11. game — wild animals
  12. craft — boats
  13. spring — of water
  14. spring — the season
  15. bore — to drill
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. wound — an injury
  18. lean — thin
  19. wound — an injury
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. lean — to bend
  23. spell — magic
  24. craft — a handicraft

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