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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: field · rule · lash · calf · safe · craft

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. craft — boats
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. rule — a law
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. field — a subject
  9. craft — a skill
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. field — farmland
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. field — for sport
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. rule — government
  18. lash — an eyelash

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