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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: rock · saw · safe · dip · chip · fall · temple · ground

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. saw — the tool
  3. ground — a position
  4. ground — the earth
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. fall — to drop
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. chip — for betting
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. dip — to sink
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. rock — a stone
  14. saw — the tool
  15. fall — to drop
  16. chip — to eat
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. fall — the season
  21. ground — crushed
  22. rock — music
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. chip — in a computer

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