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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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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 · kid · calf · stand · hide · bore · rash · roll

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. kid — to tease
  4. bore — to tire
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. rash — a series
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. roll — a list
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. stand — to bear
  12. bore — to drill
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. rash — hasty
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. roll — a cake
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. kid — child
  24. calf — a young 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