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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: cap · temple · safe · chest · pass · straw · bay · fine

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. cap — a lid
  3. fine — all right
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. chest — a box
  13. chest — of your body
  14. fine — high quality
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. chest — of your body
  20. cap — of ice
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. pass — a permit
  24. cap — a hat

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