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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: rash · firm · temple · bat · jam · safe · scale · swing

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. firm — decided
  4. bat — the animal
  5. swing — to play on
  6. scale — in music
  7. rash — hasty
  8. firm — steady
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. firm — a company
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. scale — size or range
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. swing — in golf
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. rash — a series
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. swing — music

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