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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: rule · safe · bear · snap · calf · spell · hand · squash

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. squash — to crush
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. rule — government
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. bear — the animal
  11. rule — a law
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. bear — the animal
  15. hand — help
  16. squash — the sport
  17. spell — a short time
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. hand — in cards
  20. spell — magic
  21. snap — to click
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. spell — letters

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