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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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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: sharp · kick · tear · deal · bulb · temple · race · safe

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. tear — from crying
  3. race — the arms race
  4. sharp — clever
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — for light
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. deal — to handle
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. kick — in football
  12. tear — to rip
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. race — a contest
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. tear — from crying
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. race — humankind
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. bulb — of a plant

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