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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 120 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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. wound — an injury
  3. kick — in football
  4. mug — a face
  5. net — for catching
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. mate — a friend
  8. scale — size or range
  9. mug — a cup
  10. scale — in music
  11. wound — an injury
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. net — after costs
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. mate — a partner
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. net — in sport
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. mate — to breed

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