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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: firm · drill · kick · date · saw · kid · safe · suit

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. saw — the tool
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. drill — army training
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. suit — clothes
  7. drill — a practice
  8. firm — steady
  9. date — the fruit
  10. kid — to tease
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. suit — to fit
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. suit — in cards
  18. firm — a company
  19. kid — child
  20. firm — decided
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. saw — the tool
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. drill — the tool

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