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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.

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: key · mug · clip · kick · cabinet · hand · suit · safe

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. clip — to cut
  3. key — for a lock
  4. suit — to fit
  5. key — the most important part
  6. hand — help
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. mug — a face
  10. hand — in cards
  11. key — in music
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. clip — for paper
  14. kick — in football
  15. clip — a video
  16. suit — in cards
  17. suit — clothes
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. mug — to rob
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. mug — a cup
  24. kick — a thrill

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