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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: squash · safe · kick · pitcher · charge · mug · stick · wake

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. mug — a cup
  5. wake — a trail
  6. charge — electricity
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. charge — a price
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. squash — the sport
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. mug — to rob
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. charge — in control
  20. squash — to crush
  21. kick — in football
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. mug — a face
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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