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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 116 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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. mine — for digging
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. suit — to fit
  7. mate — to breed
  8. chip — to eat
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. suit — clothes
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. chip — for betting
  15. mate — a friend
  16. mate — a partner
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. prune — to trim
  20. suit — in cards
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. kick — in football

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