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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: craft · cell · temple · rush · wave · safe

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. rush — hurry
  12. craft — boats
  13. cell — a phone
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. cell — in biology
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. craft — a skill

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