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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. pop — music
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. bore — to tire
  9. dip — to sink
  10. wind — moving air
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. kick — in football
  17. plane — a tool
  18. pop — soda
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. wind — moving air
  21. pop — to visit
  22. bore — to drill
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — a part of something

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