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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: safe · spring · stand · bark · calf · scale · charge · trunk

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. stand — to bear
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. scale — in music
  10. charge — in control
  11. charge — electricity
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. spring — a coil
  14. charge — a price
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. spring — the season
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. spring — of water
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. bark — to shout
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. trunk — of a tree

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