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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.

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: game · safe · chair · drill · pit · lash · ball · foot

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. foot — a measure
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. drill — the tool
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. game — wild animals
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. drill — a practice
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. ball — a great time
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. ball — a dance
  18. game — a match
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. chair — a leader
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. pit — in a race
  24. drill — army training

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