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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 120 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 · rest · bound · file · lash · cap · leaves · rule

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  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. rule — a law
  2. bound — certain
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. file — a document
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. file — a tool
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. rest — what's left
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. cap — a lid
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bound — obliged
  14. rest — a break
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. file — a line of people
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. cap — a hat
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. cap — of ice
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. rule — government
  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