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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 120 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: leaves · craft · calf · bass · cabinet · dip · bound · fan

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. dip — to sink
  6. bass — low music
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bass — the fish
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. craft — a skill
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. bound — obliged
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bound — certain
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. leaves — lets stay

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