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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: safe · temple · spell · cell · firm · present · lean · kick

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. present — a gift
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. spell — a short time
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. firm — decided
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. firm — a company
  12. lean — to bend
  13. spell — letters
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. present — there
  16. present — the time now
  17. firm — steady
  18. cell — a phone
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. cell — in biology
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. spell — magic
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. lean — thin

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