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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: staff · pit · swing · drill · saw · safe · spring · temple

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. saw — the tool
  6. drill — the tool
  7. spring — a coil
  8. spring — the season
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. swing — in golf
  11. drill — army training
  12. staff — employees
  13. swing — music
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. saw — the tool
  16. pit — in a race
  17. staff — employees
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. staff — a stick
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. spring — of water
  22. pit — a hole
  23. swing — to play on
  24. temple — side of the head

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