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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 120 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.

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: rush · kid · can · pound · game · cap · safe · tube

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. can — a tin
  5. kid — child
  6. rush — hurry
  7. can — a tin
  8. tube — a container
  9. game — a match
  10. pound — a weight
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. cap — a hat
  13. tube — the underground
  14. can — to be able to
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. cap — a lid
  17. game — wild animals
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. cap — of ice
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. kid — to tease
  24. safe — out of danger

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