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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. sharp — clever
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. stock — goods
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. stock — shares
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. kick — in football

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