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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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468
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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. scale — in music
  3. squash — the sport
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. kick — in football
  6. band — a music group
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. ground — a position
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rush — hurry
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. ground — the earth
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. scale — size or range
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. squash — to crush
  21. band — a ring
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. ground — crushed

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