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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: fine · calf · cell · squash · firm · spell · wound · rock

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. squash — the sport
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. firm — a company
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. cell — a phone
  8. firm — steady
  9. fine — all right
  10. rock — a stone
  11. spell — letters
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. rock — music
  17. spell — a short time
  18. squash — to crush
  19. spell — magic
  20. fine — high quality
  21. firm — decided
  22. wound — an injury
  23. wound — an injury
  24. calf — a young animal

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