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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 · pitch · shower · board · calf · perch · temple · suit

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. suit — clothes
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. suit — in cards
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. board — to get on
  10. shower — to wash
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. suit — to fit
  15. perch — the fish
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. shower — rain
  22. pitch — completely
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. calf — of the leg

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