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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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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: safe · fan · rash · nail · ground · kick · bore · roll

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. roll — a cake
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. roll — a list
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. ground — the earth
  11. rash — a series
  12. ground — crushed
  13. kick — in football
  14. ground — a position
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bore — to drill
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. rash — hasty
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. bore — to tire

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