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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. ground — crushed
  9. pit — a hole
  10. cue — for pool
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. cue — a hint
  13. ground — a position
  14. cue — a signal
  15. scale — in music
  16. kick — in football
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. dip — to sink
  21. ground — the earth
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. pit — in a race
  24. safe — out of danger

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