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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: safe · racket · stand · cold · temple · scale · content · pop

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. cold — an illness
  3. content — the amount
  4. scale — in music
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. content — happy
  9. pop — to visit
  10. cold — not warm
  11. stand — to bear
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. scale — size or range
  17. pop — soda
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. pop — music
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. temple — a place of worship

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