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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.

Make a worksheet

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: bay · prune · calf · safe · spring · tube · key · spell

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. spring — a coil
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. prune — to trim
  5. spring — of water
  6. spring — the season
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. spell — letters
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. key — in music
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. tube — a container
  15. tube — the underground
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. prune — to trim
  18. spell — a short time
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. key — the most important part
  22. spell — magic
  23. key — for a lock
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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