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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.

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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: cabinet · snap · temple · saw · squash · safe · rest · calf

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. rest — what's left
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. snap — to click
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. squash — the sport
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. rest — what's left
  17. squash — to crush
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. saw — the tool
  20. rest — a break
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. saw — the tool
  24. calf — a young animal

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