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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: pit · fork · kick · bear · safe · rush · ball · pop

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. bear — the animal
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. pop — music
  7. fork — in a road
  8. rush — hurry
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. pop — to visit
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. pop — soda
  16. pit — a hole
  17. kick — in football
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. ball — a great time
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. ball — a dance
  22. bear — the animal
  23. pit — in a race
  24. bear — to put up with

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