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

Word bank: kick · game · safe · pound · plane · lean · cabinet · ruler

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. plane — a tool
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. lean — thin
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. lean — to bend
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. game — wild animals
  21. pound — a weight
  22. game — a match
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. plane — an aircraft

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