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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.

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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: mate · tube · kick · pitcher · current · pop · safe · wake

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. pop — to visit
  4. kick — in football
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pop — music
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. current — of water
  11. mate — to breed
  12. tube — a container
  13. mate — a partner
  14. tube — the underground
  15. current — happening now
  16. wake — a trail
  17. pop — soda
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. current — electric
  22. mate — a friend
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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