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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: present · kick · bark · deal · kid · cell · wake · safe

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. deal — to handle
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. present — the time now
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. kick — in football
  11. kid — child
  12. cell — in biology
  13. bark — to shout
  14. present — there
  15. cell — a phone
  16. wake — a trail
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. kid — to tease
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. present — a gift

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