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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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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 · arm · safe · kid · ball · row · stick · leaves

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. row — to paddle
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. ball — a great time
  6. kid — to tease
  7. pit — in a race
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. pit — a hole
  10. ball — a dance
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. row — a line
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. leaves — to go away

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