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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: lie · wax · toast · cell · stick · degree · safe · temple

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. degree — from a university
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. wax — to grow
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. degree — an amount
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. toast — bread
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. degree — temperature
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. cell — a phone
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. lie — to recline
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. cell — in biology

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