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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. toast — bread
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. kick — in football
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. toast — the most admired

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