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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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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: safe · ball · lie · kick · dip · pit · racket · hand

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. hand — help
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. hand — in cards
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. pit — in a race
  8. pit — a hole
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. kick — in football
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. ball — a great time
  21. ball — a dance
  22. dip — to sink
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. kick — with a leg

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