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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: wound · racket · calf · lash · safe · saw · lie · toast

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. lie — to recline
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. toast — bread
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. saw — the tool
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. wound — an injury
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. saw — the tool
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. wound — an injury

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