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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: object · racket · kick · capital · kid · fork · dip · safe

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. kick — in football
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. kid — child
  7. object — a thing
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. object — an aim
  10. fork — in a road
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. dip — to sink
  15. capital — money
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. kid — to tease
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. capital — a city
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. object — to protest

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