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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. present — there
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. present — the time now
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. kick — in football
  9. pit — in a race
  10. pit — a hole
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. content — the amount
  13. plane — a tool
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. content — happy
  21. fork — in a road
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. present — a gift

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