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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.

Make a worksheet

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: safe · ball · hide · cabinet · scale · suit · charge · kick

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. suit — to fit
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. charge — electricity
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. scale — in music
  10. ball — a great time
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. kick — in football
  13. charge — a price
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. suit — in cards
  16. charge — in control
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. ball — a dance
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. scale — size or range
  21. suit — clothes
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. scale — for weighing

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