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

Word bank: foot · cabinet · mark · dip · cold · safe · pound · kick

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. kick — in football
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. mark — a trace
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. pound — a weight
  12. cold — an illness
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. dip — to sink
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. foot — a measure
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. cold — not warm
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. mark — a grade
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. safe — a strongbox

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