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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cell — in biology
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. wound — an injury
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. cell — a phone
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. wound — an injury
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. toast — bread
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. stand — to bear

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