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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.

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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: kick · safe · last · drill · mug · face · fan · pop

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. drill — army training
  3. mug — a cup
  4. mug — to rob
  5. last — to go on
  6. drill — a practice
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. kick — in football
  10. face — to point toward
  11. last — final
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. pop — music
  14. drill — the tool
  15. pop — soda
  16. face — to confront
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. face — part of the head
  19. last — finally
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. pop — to visit
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. safe — out of danger

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