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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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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. swing — to play on
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. dip — to sink
  6. track — a song
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. swing — music
  9. land — a country
  10. kick — in football
  11. toast — bread
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. swing — in golf
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. land — ground
  17. track — a path
  18. track — to keep track
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. land — to come down
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. safe — a strongbox

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