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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: rest · safe · can · hand · kick · club · game · rock

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. can — a tin
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. club — for golf
  5. rest — a break
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. rock — music
  8. club — for dancing
  9. kick — in football
  10. game — a match
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rock — a stone
  14. game — wild animals
  15. can — to be able to
  16. hand — help
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. hand — in cards
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. club — a group
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. kick — a thrill
  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