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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: game · pound · safe · shower · kick · track · date · rock

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Have you settled on 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. pound — a weight
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. rock — a stone
  9. date — the fruit
  10. shower — rain
  11. game — a match
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. game — wild animals
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. track — a song
  18. track — to keep track
  19. track — a path
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. shower — to wash
  22. rock — music
  23. date — on the calendar
  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