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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 120 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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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. bass — the fish
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. fork — in a road
  9. kick — in football
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. drill — the tool
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bass — low music
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. drill — a practice
  20. drill — army training
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. mine — for digging
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. fork — a garden tool

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