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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
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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: date · jam · safe · kick · rash · bowl · tube · branch

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. rash — a series
  5. tube — a container
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. tube — the underground
  14. branch — a division
  15. date — the fruit
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. kick — in football

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