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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 116 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: stick · kick · mug · sharp · safe · ground · ball · branch

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. ground — a position
  4. mug — to rob
  5. ball — a great time
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. ground — the earth
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. ground — crushed
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. mug — a cup
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. sharp — clever
  19. ball — a dance
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. branch — a division
  22. mug — a face
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. sharp — exactly

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