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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: chip · bound · plane · cap · march · safe · calf · spell

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. bound — obliged
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. chip — to eat
  6. bound — tied together
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. spell — magic
  11. spell — a short time
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. bound — certain
  14. plane — a tool
  15. cap — a lid
  16. march — the month
  17. spell — letters
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. march — the month
  21. cap — a hat
  22. cap — of ice
  23. chip — for betting
  24. plane — in geometry

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