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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 116 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: spring · safe · last · calf · net · row · club · lie

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. spring — the season
  4. net — in sport
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. spring — a coil
  7. row — a line
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. club — a group
  10. spring — of water
  11. row — to paddle
  12. club — for golf
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. net — for catching
  16. net — after costs
  17. last — to go on
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. lie — to recline
  20. last — finally
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. last — final

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