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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: mug · mate · key · safe · snap · pound · calf · kick

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  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. safe — a strongbox
  2. mate — a partner
  3. mug — to rob
  4. key — the most important part
  5. pound — a weight
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. mug — a face
  8. mate — to breed
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. key — in music
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. mug — a cup
  17. key — for a lock
  18. mate — a friend
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. snap — to click
  23. pound — for dogs
  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