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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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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: band · safe · suit · cold · cabinet · cell · temple · pitch

  1. The water is too ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. cold — not warm
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. suit — in cards
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. pitch — completely
  8. suit — clothes
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. band — a ring
  11. cell — a phone
  12. band — a music group
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. cold — an illness
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. cell — in biology
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. suit — to fit

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