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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. shower — to wash
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. shower — rain
  7. present — a gift
  8. bound — tied together
  9. bound — obliged
  10. present — the time now
  11. rush — hurry
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. kick — in football
  16. ball — a great time
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. bound — certain
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. ball — a dance
  23. vault — a safe
  24. present — there

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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