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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. key — for a lock
  4. root — of a plant
  5. shower — to wash
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. key — in music
  9. fine — all right
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. wax — to grow
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. fine — high quality
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. root — the cause
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. root — of a word
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. shower — rain
  23. kick — in football
  24. key — the most important part

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