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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: kick · chest · lie · pitcher · track · game · safe · rock

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. rock — a stone
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. track — a path
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. kick — in football
  9. chest — of your body
  10. lie — to recline
  11. chest — of your body
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. game — a match
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. rock — music
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. game — wild animals
  20. track — a song
  21. track — to keep track
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. game — a kind of play

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