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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: wax · game · kick · safe · racket · march · cabinet · temple

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. march — music
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. kick — in football
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. march — the month
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. wax — to grow
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. game — a match
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. march — the month
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. game — wild animals

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