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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: kick · mate · safe · last · dip · net · season · calf

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. dip — to sink
  3. season — of the year
  4. net — in sport
  5. mate — a friend
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. mate — a partner
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. last — to go on
  13. last — finally
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. kick — in football
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. mate — to breed
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. last — final
  21. net — for catching
  22. net — after costs
  23. season — in sport
  24. kick — with a leg

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