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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: temple · fine · chip · track · spring · file · pass · safe

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. file — a tool
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. fine — high quality
  6. track — to keep track
  7. spring — the season
  8. chip — to eat
  9. track — a song
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. chip — for betting
  13. track — a path
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. spring — of water
  17. file — a line of people
  18. spring — a coil
  19. fine — all right
  20. pass — a permit
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. file — a document
  24. safe — out of danger

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