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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: plane · safe · branch · calf · spring · pass · cell · rash

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. spring — a coil
  6. plane — a tool
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. rash — hasty
  9. spring — the season
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. branch — a division
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. spring — of water
  16. cell — in biology
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. cell — a phone
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. pass — a permit
  24. rash — a series

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