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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 116 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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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: key · lash · fork · wound · board · safe · calf · wind

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. wound — an injury
  6. key — the most important part
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. board — a committee
  12. board — to get on
  13. key — in music
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. wind — moving air
  16. fork — in a road
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. key — for a lock
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. wind — moving air
  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