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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 · kick · safe · date · nail · arm · fall · can

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. fall — the season
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. game — a match
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. game — wild animals
  8. can — a tin
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. can — to be able to
  13. date — the fruit
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. fall — to drop
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. can — a tin
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. kick — in football
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. date — on the calendar
  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