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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: safe · date · stand · bowl · chip · calf · pass · spell

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. date — the fruit
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. stand — to bear
  5. chip — to eat
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. spell — letters
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. spell — magic
  18. spell — a short time
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. pass — a permit
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. chip — for betting

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