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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mug · kick · ruler · spell · lean · straw · fine · safe

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. mug — a face
  3. lean — to bend
  4. mug — to rob
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. spell — letters
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. fine — all right
  12. spell — a short time
  13. fine — high quality
  14. lean — thin
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. spell — magic
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. mug — a cup
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. kick — in football

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