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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.

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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. kick — in football
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. key — the most important part
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. hand — in cards
  10. key — in music
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. cold — not warm
  13. pit — in a race
  14. fine — all right
  15. pit — a hole
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. cold — an illness
  20. fine — high quality
  21. hand — help
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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