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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.

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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: stick · bay · plane · calf · wax · sharp · safe · tube

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. tube — a container
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. wax — to grow
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. plane — a tool
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. sharp — clever
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. tube — the underground
  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