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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 120 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: lean · mate · hand · foot · safe · fine · temple · spring

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. fine — high quality
  4. mate — a partner
  5. spring — the season
  6. hand — in cards
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. lean — to bend
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. fine — all right
  14. hand — help
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. lean — thin
  17. foot — a measure
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. mate — to breed
  21. spring — a coil
  22. mate — a friend
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. spring — of water

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