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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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468
Word bank
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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. kick — in football
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. lean — thin
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. cell — a phone
  11. kid — to tease
  12. bark — to shout
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. cell — in biology
  16. kid — child
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — to recline
  22. lean — to bend
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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