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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: lash · saw · game · squash · present · stand · bound · calf

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. game — a match
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stand — to bear
  9. bound — tied together
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. bound — certain
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. present — a gift
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. present — the time now
  17. saw — the tool
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. squash — the sport
  20. game — wild animals
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bound — obliged
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. present — there

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