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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: cue · safe · pitcher · band · toast · temple · drill · ball

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. ball — a dance
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. cue — a hint
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. cue — a signal
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. cue — for pool
  11. band — a ring
  12. ball — a great time
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. band — a music group
  17. drill — army training
  18. drill — a practice
  19. drill — the tool
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. toast — bread

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