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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: lie · ground · safe · patient · spring · arm · temple · bank

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. spring — of water
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — for money
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. spring — a coil
  15. bank — of a river
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. lie — to recline
  18. spring — the season
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. ground — a position
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. ground — the earth
  23. ground — crushed
  24. patient — a sick person

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