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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: toast · chest · mouse · safe · hide · prune · spring · calf

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. chest — of your body
  5. spring — of water
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. prune — to trim
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. chest — a box
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. prune — to trim
  14. toast — bread
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. chest — of your body
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. spring — the season
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. spring — a coil

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