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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: bass · calf · bay · tear · bound · field · leaves · deal

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. tear — from crying
  9. bound — tied together
  10. tear — to rip
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. bass — low music
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bound — obliged
  18. field — a subject
  19. deal — to handle
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bound — certain
  22. field — farmland
  23. tear — from crying
  24. leaves — of a tree

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