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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
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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 · firm · hide · cell · drill · hand · temple · mug

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. drill — the tool
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. drill — army training
  5. hand — help
  6. mug — a cup
  7. firm — a company
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. mug — a face
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. firm — steady
  16. mug — to rob
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. drill — a practice
  19. firm — decided
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. kick — in football
  22. cell — a phone
  23. hand — in cards
  24. temple — a place of worship

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