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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: stick · bear · rush · kick · ground · squash · bound · safe

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. bear — the animal
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. kick — in football
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. bound — obliged
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. bear — the animal
  15. ground — the earth
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bound — tied together
  18. rush — hurry
  19. squash — the sport
  20. ground — crushed
  21. squash — to crush
  22. bound — certain
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. ground — a position

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