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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: racket · fan · safe · temple · wave · track · nail · hand

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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. fan — a supporter
  4. track — a song
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. hand — help
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. track — a path
  13. track — to keep track
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. hand — in cards
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. nail — on a finger

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