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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. fine — high quality
  4. bat — the animal
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. bear — the animal
  8. kick — in football
  9. fine — all right
  10. saw — the tool
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. net — after costs
  16. net — for catching
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. saw — the tool
  19. net — in sport
  20. bear — the animal
  21. ball — a dance
  22. ball — a great time
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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