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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. net — after costs
  6. bass — the fish
  7. net — for catching
  8. mate — to breed
  9. bear — the animal
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. mate — a partner
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. kid — child
  17. kid — to tease
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. kick — in football
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bass — low music
  23. net — in sport
  24. kick — with a leg

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