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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: safe · season · temple · fall · spell · object · kick · land

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. object — an aim
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. kick — in football
  6. land — ground
  7. season — of the year
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. object — to protest
  10. fall — to drop
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. fall — the season
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. spell — a short time
  15. fall — to drop
  16. object — a thing
  17. land — to come down
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. spell — letters
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. land — a country
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. season — in sport
  24. spell — magic

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