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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 · spring · bound · mouse · clip · wave · current · safe

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. current — electric
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. current — happening now
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bound — obliged
  11. clip — a video
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. clip — to cut
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. clip — for paper
  16. current — of water
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. bound — tied together
  19. spring — a coil
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. spring — of water
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. spring — the season
  24. mouse — the animal

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