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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: safe · shower · kid · saw · track · calf · can · squash

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. squash — to crush
  3. can — a tin
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. track — a song
  7. saw — the tool
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. kid — to tease
  10. shower — to wash
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. can — to be able to
  15. track — to keep track
  16. squash — the sport
  17. saw — the tool
  18. shower — rain
  19. track — a path
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. kid — child
  23. can — a tin
  24. calf — a young animal

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