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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 120 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: stem · craft · shower · suit · charge · land · safe · calf

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. charge — electricity
  3. land — ground
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. shower — to wash
  7. charge — in control
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. charge — a price
  10. stem — to come from
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. suit — in cards
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. land — a country
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. shower — rain
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. craft — a skill
  22. suit — clothes
  23. land — to come down
  24. craft — boats

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