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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 116 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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. wound — an injury
  3. rush — hurry
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. wound — an injury
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. drill — army training
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. staff — employees
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. staff — employees
  13. season — of the year
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. season — in sport
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. drill — a practice
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. staff — a stick
  24. safe — out of danger

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