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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: capital · hide · snap · safe · fork · calf · bulb · rash

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. rash — a series
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. bulb — for light
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. bulb — for light
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. rash — hasty
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. capital — a city
  20. snap — to click
  21. fork — in a road
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. calf — a young 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