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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: safe · mouse · land · rest · toast · kick · pitcher · coach

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. land — ground
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. land — a country
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. land — to come down
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. rest — what's left
  17. toast — bread
  18. rest — a break
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. kick — in football
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. rest — what's left
  24. mouse — for a computer

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