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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. cap — a hat
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. date — the fruit
  5. track — to keep track
  6. bass — the fish
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. cap — a lid
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. cap — of ice
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. dip — to sink
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. bass — low music
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. toast — bread
  21. track — a path
  22. kick — in football
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. track — a song

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