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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 · spell · face · craft · cold · stem · patient · calf

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. cold — an illness
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. craft — boats
  7. spell — letters
  8. face — part of the head
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. face — to point toward
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. cold — not warm
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. spell — a short time
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. craft — a skill
  22. stem — to come from
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. face — to confront

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