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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. plane — a tool
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. object — to protest
  12. object — a thing
  13. object — an aim
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. pitch — completely
  23. kick — in football
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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