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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. cap — a lid
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. wake — a trail
  5. tube — the underground
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. tube — a container
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. kick — in football
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. cap — a hat
  17. cap — of ice
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. wake — before a funeral

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