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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. rest — what's left
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. rest — what's left
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. rush — hurry
  7. land — to come down
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. land — a country
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. chip — for betting
  13. rest — a break
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. chip — to eat
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. land — ground
  21. cell — in biology
  22. kick — in football
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. cell — a phone

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