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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: bay · safe · bat · cap · lash · can · calf · date

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. can — a tin
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. can — a tin
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bat — the animal
  12. cap — a lid
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. can — to be able to
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. cap — of ice
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. date — the fruit
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. cap — a hat
  24. date — on the calendar

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