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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: dip · cell · game · bark · ground · calf · safe · can

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. ground — a position
  4. game — wild animals
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. can — a tin
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. can — to be able to
  9. ground — crushed
  10. dip — to sink
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. game — a match
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. cell — a phone
  20. bark — to shout
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. cell — in biology
  24. can — a tin

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