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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: spell · calf · fan · bay · branch · patient · shower · safe

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. branch — a division
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. spell — magic
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. shower — to wash
  19. shower — rain
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. spell — a short time
  24. spell — letters

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