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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 · wind · bear · can · leaves · mark · stand · lash

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. bear — the animal
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. bear — the animal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. can — a tin
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. mark — a trace
  17. mark — a grade
  18. wind — moving air
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. can — a tin
  21. wind — moving air
  22. stand — to bear
  23. can — to be able to
  24. leaves — to go away

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