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

Word bank: toast · kick · safe · rush · drill · face · cell · foot

  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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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. drill — army training
  4. cell — a phone
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. drill — the tool
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. rush — hurry
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. face — part of the head
  12. face — to point toward
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. drill — a practice
  16. foot — a measure
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. face — to confront
  19. cell — in biology
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. toast — bread

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