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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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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: plane · bat · safe · lie · bear · stand · mine · calf

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. bat — the animal
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. lie — to recline
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. plane — a tool
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. stand — to bear
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. mine — for digging
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. bear — the animal
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bear — the 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