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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.

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: bound · wake · stand · plane · calf · lash · mouse · perch

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. bound — obliged
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bound — certain
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. wake — a trail
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. perch — the fish
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. plane — a tool
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. stand — to bear
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. bound — tied together

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