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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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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: season · kick · mug · fine · wound · lie · safe · cell

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. cell — in biology
  3. fine — high quality
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. season — of the year
  9. wound — an injury
  10. mug — a cup
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. season — in sport
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. mug — to rob
  15. kick — in football
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. fine — all right
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. mug — a face
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. cell — a phone
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. wound — an injury

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