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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 protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. chest — of your body
  4. chest — a box
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. mate — to breed
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. plane — a tool
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. chest — of your body
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. mate — a partner
  20. mate — a friend
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. date — the fruit
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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