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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. prune — to trim
  4. bank — for money
  5. stock — shares
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. ball — a great time
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. prune — to trim
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bank — for money
  12. pit — in a race
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. pit — a hole
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. ball — a dance
  21. stock — goods
  22. kick — in football
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. bank — of a river

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