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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  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. kick — a thrill
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. suit — in cards
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. pitch — completely
  6. drill — army training
  7. chest — of your body
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. suit — to fit
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. drill — a practice
  15. kick — in football
  16. root — the cause
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. root — of a plant
  19. chest — of your body
  20. suit — clothes
  21. chest — a box
  22. root — of a word
  23. drill — the tool
  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