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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. roll — a list
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. roll — a cake
  7. date — the fruit
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. rush — hurry
  14. bat — the animal
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. calf — a young animal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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