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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. squash — to crush
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. sharp — clever
  13. kid — child
  14. squash — the sport
  15. kid — to tease
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. foot — a measure
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. mine — for digging
  24. foot — part of the body

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