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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: rest · wave · mouse · bank · straw · safe · temple · stick

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. rest — what's left
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bank — for money
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. rest — what's left
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. bank — of a river
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. rest — a break
  22. bank — for money
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. temple — a place of worship

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