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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 · firm · track · rule · chip · mug · fan · safe

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. track — to keep track
  7. mug — a face
  8. firm — a company
  9. rule — a law
  10. firm — decided
  11. firm — steady
  12. track — a path
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. mug — a cup
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. track — a song
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. rule — government
  21. chip — to eat
  22. chip — for betting
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. safe — a strongbox

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