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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: straw · safe · march · lie · board · calf · content · fork

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. content — happy
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. march — music
  17. lie — to recline
  18. content — the amount
  19. march — the month
  20. board — a committee
  21. fork — in a road
  22. board — to get on
  23. march — the month
  24. safe — a strongbox

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