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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: fall · mouse · suit · kick · safe · tube · fork · pop

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. fall — to drop
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. pop — music
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. suit — clothes
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. kick — in football
  10. suit — to fit
  11. fall — to drop
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. fork — in a road
  16. pop — soda
  17. fall — the season
  18. pop — to visit
  19. tube — a container
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. suit — in cards
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. tube — the underground
  24. fork — a garden tool

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