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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. shower — rain
  3. tube — a container
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. shower — to wash
  9. tube — the underground
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. pound — a weight
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. kick — in football
  18. ground — crushed
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. ground — a position
  22. snap — to click
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — for tennis

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