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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. court — of a king
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. rash — hasty
  8. spell — magic
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. sharp — clever
  12. court — for sport
  13. squash — the sport
  14. spell — letters
  15. rash — a series
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. court — of law
  21. spell — a short time
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. squash — to crush

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