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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. kick — in football
  4. tube — the underground
  5. can — a tin
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. pit — a hole
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. shower — rain
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. tube — a container
  13. can — to be able to
  14. pit — in a race
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. roll — a cake
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. can — a tin
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. shower — to wash
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. roll — a list

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