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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. spell — magic
  7. spell — a short time
  8. pass — a permit
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. spell — letters
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. spring — of water
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. stand — to bear
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. spring — the season
  24. stand — on your feet

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