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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: leaves · cell · rash · kick · safe · present

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. cell — a phone
  5. present — the time now
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. rash — hasty
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. present — there
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. rash — a series
  15. present — a gift
  16. cell — in biology
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. safe — out of danger

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