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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: straw · safe · calf · lash · ground · spell · cap · bore

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. cap — a lid
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. ground — a position
  8. spell — letters
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bore — to drill
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. spell — a short time
  14. ground — the earth
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. spell — magic
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. cap — a hat
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. cap — of ice
  22. ground — crushed
  23. straw — dry grass
  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