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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bark · patient · shower · calf · tube · ruler · safe · spell

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. spell — a short time
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. shower — rain
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. spell — magic
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. shower — to wash
  13. bark — to shout
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. spell — letters
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. tube — a container
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. safe — out of danger

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