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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: calf · bore · clip · plane · safe · pass · lash · toast

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. clip — to cut
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. plane — a tool
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. bore — to tire
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. pass — a permit
  18. bore — to drill
  19. clip — for paper
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. toast — bread
  23. clip — a video
  24. lash — to lash out

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