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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
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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 · bound · cold · craft · safe · spring · land · stand

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. spring — the season
  6. land — a country
  7. bound — certain
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. cold — an illness
  10. land — ground
  11. land — to come down
  12. stand — to bear
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. craft — a skill
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. cold — not warm
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bound — tied together
  20. spring — of water
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. craft — boats
  24. bound — obliged

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