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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: calf · bat · wound · bowl · row · safe · deal · rash

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. rash — hasty
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. deal — to handle
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. row — to paddle
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. wound — an injury
  18. row — a line
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. rash — a series
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. bat — the animal
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. bat — in an idiom

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