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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. rock — music
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. pound — a weight
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. foot — a measure
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. rock — a stone
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. fork — in a road
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. kick — with a leg

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