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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. stock — goods
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. row — to paddle
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. wax — to grow
  9. stock — shares
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. face — to confront
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. chip — to eat
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. face — part of the head
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. face — to point toward
  21. chip — for betting
  22. row — a line
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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