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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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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: rule · field · wave · safe · deal · temple · squash · land

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. squash — to crush
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. land — a country
  7. squash — the sport
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. rule — a law
  10. rule — government
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. field — for sport
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. land — to come down
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. deal — to handle
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. field — farmland
  20. land — ground
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. field — a subject

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