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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. kick — in football
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. wax — to grow
  10. kid — child
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bore — to drill
  14. cold — not warm
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. cold — an illness
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. kid — to tease

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