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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.

Make a worksheet

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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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: hand · bound · date · safe · kick · ruler · rush · snap

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  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. rush — a thrill
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. bound — certain
  9. kick — in football
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. snap — to click
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. date — the fruit
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bound — tied together
  17. hand — help
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. hand — in cards
  22. bound — obliged
  23. rush — hurry
  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