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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: calf · stock · bowl · staff · lean · face · trunk · bound

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. lean — thin
  3. bound — obliged
  4. stock — shares
  5. face — to point toward
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. lean — to bend
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. staff — a stick
  10. stock — goods
  11. bound — certain
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. bound — tied together
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. face — part of the head
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. face — to confront
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. staff — employees
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. staff — employees

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