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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.

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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: march · rock · cabinet · cap · rash · safe · calf · spell

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cap — of ice
  3. spell — letters
  4. march — music
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. rock — a stone
  7. spell — magic
  8. cap — a hat
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. spell — a short time
  14. rash — a series
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. rock — music
  17. march — the month
  18. march — the month
  19. rash — hasty
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. cap — a lid
  24. cabinet — ministers

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