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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 · mark · calf · temple · wax · deal · spell · spring

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. spring — the season
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. wax — to grow
  8. spell — magic
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. spell — letters
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. mark — a grade
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. deal — to handle
  16. spring — of water
  17. spell — a short time
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. mark — a trace
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. deal — a big deal

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