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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. kick — in football
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. mark — a grade
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. foot — a measure
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. pop — to visit
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. spring — of water
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. pop — music
  19. mark — a trace
  20. spring — a coil
  21. spring — the season
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. pop — soda
  24. foot — part of the body

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