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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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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. key — in music
  3. tear — from crying
  4. kick — in football
  5. tear — from crying
  6. rush — hurry
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. tear — to rip
  9. key — the most important part
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. saw — the tool
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. mug — a face
  15. saw — the tool
  16. plane — a tool
  17. mug — a cup
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. key — for a lock
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. mug — to rob

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