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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: root · saw · deal · wound · safe · kick · cabinet · pitch

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. kick — in football
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. wound — an injury
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. root — of a word
  11. saw — the tool
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. root — the cause
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. deal — to handle
  17. wound — an injury
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. root — of a plant
  22. saw — the tool
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. pitch — completely

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