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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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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: safe · chip · mine · chest · wake · bear · foot · temple

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. bear — the animal
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. chip — for betting
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. chest — a box
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. chip — to eat
  16. bear — the animal
  17. foot — a measure
  18. chest — of your body
  19. mine — for digging
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. wake — a trail
  24. chest — of your body

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