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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 120 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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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: rush · temple · fan · foot · straw · game · safe · leaves

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. game — a match
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. game — wild animals
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. rush — hurry
  18. foot — a measure
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. rush — a thrill

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