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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: wound · perch · safe · tube · calf · mate · plane · present

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. present — the time now
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. plane — a tool
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. wound — an injury
  10. mate — a partner
  11. present — a gift
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. tube — a container
  14. mate — a friend
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. tube — the underground
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. mate — to breed
  23. perch — the fish
  24. wound — an injury

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