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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 · ball · lean · straw · temple · rush · tear · chip

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. chip — for betting
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. rush — hurry
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. chip — to eat
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. tear — from crying
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. tear — from crying
  17. tear — to rip
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. ball — a dance
  20. ball — a great time
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. lean — thin
  24. lean — to bend

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