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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: deal · mate · safe · cap · row · track · calf · wound

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. row — a line
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. deal — to handle
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. cap — of ice
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. wound — an injury
  11. mate — a friend
  12. track — a path
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. wound — an injury
  15. track — to keep track
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. mate — a partner
  18. track — a song
  19. mate — to breed
  20. cap — a hat
  21. cap — a lid
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. calf — a young animal

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