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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 116 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 · rest · fan · hide · nail · wave · calf · staff

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. staff — a stick
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. rest — what's left
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. staff — employees
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. rest — what's left
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. rest — a break
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. staff — employees

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