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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: safe · squash · toast · calf · key · spring · patient · wound

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. spring — a coil
  3. toast — bread
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. squash — to crush
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. wound — an injury
  9. key — the most important part
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. spring — the season
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. key — in music
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. key — for a lock
  20. wound — an injury
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. spring — of water
  24. squash — the sport

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