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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: date · calf · last · safe · hide · lash · band · chair

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. date — the fruit
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. last — final
  13. last — to go on
  14. band — a music group
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. band — a ring
  20. chair — a leader
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. last — finally
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. hide — animal skin

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