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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. cell — a phone
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bound — certain
  6. root — of a word
  7. bound — obliged
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. snap — to click
  10. kick — in football
  11. root — of a plant
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. pit — in a race
  14. bound — tied together
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. cell — in biology
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. pit — a hole
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. root — the cause
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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