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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. shower — to wash
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. swing — music
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. swing — to play on
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. kid — child
  19. deal — to handle
  20. swing — in golf
  21. shower — rain
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. kid — to tease
  24. foot — a measure

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