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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: shower · saw · kick · sharp · mouse · capital · date · safe

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. sharp — clever
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. date — the fruit
  10. capital — a city
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. shower — to wash
  14. capital — money
  15. saw — the tool
  16. kick — in football
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. saw — the tool
  20. shower — rain
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. sharp — with an edge

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