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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. face — part of the head
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mug — a cup
  5. kick — in football
  6. tube — the underground
  7. kid — to tease
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. face — to point toward
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. tube — a container
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. face — to confront
  15. mug — a face
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mug — to rob
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. kid — child
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. wax — to grow
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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