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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. rash — hasty
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. scale — in music
  5. tube — a container
  6. tube — the underground
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. cue — a hint
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. branch — a division
  12. cue — for pool
  13. roll — a cake
  14. scale — size or range
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. rash — a series
  17. kick — in football
  18. cue — a signal
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. roll — a list
  24. kick — a thrill

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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