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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: racket · can · tube · pound · kick · last · ball · safe

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. tube — the underground
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. pound — a weight
  7. can — a tin
  8. last — to go on
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. kick — in football
  11. last — final
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. can — to be able to
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. ball — a great time
  19. tube — a container
  20. last — finally
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. can — a tin

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