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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
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: safe · bank · rush · fall · pitcher · lie · hand · kick

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. fall — to drop
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. fall — to drop
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. kick — in football
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. rush — hurry
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bank — for money
  14. fall — the season
  15. hand — help
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. hand — in cards
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. lie — to recline
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. bank — for money
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. kick — a thrill

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