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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: stick · content · lean · clip · calf · bowl · spell · safe

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. spell — letters
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. lean — to bend
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. clip — a video
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. content — happy
  13. spell — a short time
  14. spell — magic
  15. clip — for paper
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. content — the amount
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. lean — thin
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. clip — to cut
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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