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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.

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: lash · plane · safe · calf · kid · rush · track · wound

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. rush — hurry
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. plane — a tool
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. wound — an injury
  7. wound — an injury
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. track — a song
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. kid — child
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. track — a path
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. kid — to tease
  24. track — to keep track

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