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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: squash · bear · safe · can · court · toast · kick · rash

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — to be able to
  4. bear — the animal
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. bear — the animal
  7. squash — the sport
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. court — of law
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. court — of a king
  12. rash — a series
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. can — a tin
  15. rash — hasty
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. toast — bread
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. kick — in football
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. squash — to crush
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. court — for sport

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