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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: kick · bore · safe · mark · nail · object · face · charge

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. object — to protest
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. kick — in football
  6. face — to confront
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. charge — in control
  9. mark — a trace
  10. face — part of the head
  11. bore — to drill
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. charge — a price
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bore — to tire
  16. object — a thing
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. face — to point toward
  20. object — an aim
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. mark — a grade
  23. charge — electricity
  24. kick — with a leg

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