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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.

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: safe · mine · date · calf · bowl · wake · cap · plane

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. mine — for digging
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. cap — a lid
  5. cap — a hat
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. date — the fruit
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. cap — of ice
  23. wake — a trail
  24. plane — a tool

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