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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 116 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: field · bound · calf · craft · wind · leaves · lash · band

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. band — a ring
  3. bound — tied together
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. field — for sport
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. bound — certain
  13. field — farmland
  14. bound — obliged
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. field — a subject
  17. wind — moving air
  18. craft — a skill
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. wind — moving air
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. band — a music group
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. craft — boats

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