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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: safe · snap · row · suit · land · temple · wave · rash

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. suit — to fit
  3. suit — in cards
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. rash — hasty
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. row — to paddle
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. rash — a series
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. suit — clothes
  16. land — ground
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. land — a country
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. land — to come down
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. snap — to click
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. row — a line

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