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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 · stem · deal · lash · bulb · track · land · wind

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. track — a song
  3. bulb — for light
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. track — to keep track
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. deal — to handle
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. track — a path
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. land — to come down
  15. land — ground
  16. land — a country
  17. stem — to come from
  18. wind — moving air
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. bulb — for light
  23. wind — moving air
  24. lash — to lash out

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