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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: object · safe · wake · tube · calf · land · cap · deal

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. deal — to handle
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. tube — the underground
  7. land — to come down
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. object — a thing
  10. tube — a container
  11. cap — of ice
  12. object — an aim
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. wake — a trail
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. cap — a lid
  20. land — ground
  21. land — a country
  22. cap — a hat
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. object — to protest

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