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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: fall · stand · calf · safe · nail · sharp · rash · squash

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. fall — the season
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. stand — to bear
  13. squash — to crush
  14. squash — the sport
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. rash — a series
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. sharp — clever
  21. fall — to drop
  22. rash — hasty
  23. sharp — exactly
  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