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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: dip · kick · straw · race · rest · safe · mate · fork

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. race — a contest
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. dip — to sink
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. race — humankind
  7. fork — in a road
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. kick — in football
  10. mate — to breed
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. rest — what's left
  13. mate — a partner
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. rest — a break
  20. race — the arms race
  21. rest — what's left
  22. mate — a friend
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. dip — to dunk

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