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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: ball · safe · coach · tube · mark · leaves · rest · calf

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. tube — a container
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. rest — what's left
  9. ball — a great time
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. rest — a break
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. mark — a grade
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. ball — a dance
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. rest — what's left
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. mark — a trace
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. tube — the underground
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. safe — out of danger

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