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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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. pass — a permit
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. land — a country
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. land — to come down
  11. rock — a stone
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. wake — a trail
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. rock — music

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