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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 120 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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. kick — in football
  3. spring — a coil
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. object — an aim
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. object — a thing
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. chip — for betting
  13. wound — an injury
  14. chip — to eat
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. wax — to grow
  17. spring — the season
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. object — to protest
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. spring — of water
  24. wax — for sculpting

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