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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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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: wind · calf · stick · spring · safe · mouse · fall · foot

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. fall — to drop
  4. spring — a coil
  5. wind — moving air
  6. foot — a measure
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. fall — to drop
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. spring — the season
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. wind — moving air
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. spring — of water
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. fall — the season
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. foot — part of the body

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