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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: wind · perch · lean · calf · face · suit · bound · craft

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. face — to confront
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. craft — boats
  6. bound — certain
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. craft — a skill
  10. lean — to bend
  11. bound — obliged
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. perch — the fish
  14. suit — clothes
  15. wind — moving air
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. suit — to fit
  18. lean — thin
  19. face — to point toward
  20. face — part of the head
  21. bound — tied together
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. wind — moving air

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