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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.

Make a worksheet

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: bowl · spell · mark · pop · calf · safe · pit · board

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. pit — a hole
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. pop — music
  5. pit — in a race
  6. spell — magic
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. pop — to visit
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. board — to get on
  13. mark — a grade
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. spell — letters
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. pop — soda
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. spell — a short time
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. board — a committee
  24. safe — out of danger

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