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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.

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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. ground — crushed
  5. pit — in a race
  6. ground — a position
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. ground — the earth
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. pit — a hole
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. scale — in music
  18. snap — to click
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. kick — in football
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. safe — out of danger

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