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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: chair · safe · tube · temple · foot · can · swing · kick

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. tube — the underground
  3. can — a tin
  4. swing — in golf
  5. kick — in football
  6. can — to be able to
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. can — a tin
  19. foot — a measure
  20. tube — a container
  21. swing — to play on
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. swing — music
  24. chair — a leader

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