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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. kid — child
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. rest — a break
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. lean — to bend
  9. face — to point toward
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. kid — to tease
  13. rest — what's left
  14. face — to confront
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. face — part of the head
  19. kick — in football
  20. rest — what's left
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. kick — with a leg

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