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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. wake — a trail
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. spring — of water
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. bass — low music
  9. bass — the fish
  10. spring — the season
  11. land — to come down
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. land — ground
  15. spring — a coil
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. pass — a permit
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. kick — in football
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. land — a country

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