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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.

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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: stand · safe · date · cold · swing · charge · temple · prune

  1. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. charge — in control
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. prune — to trim
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. charge — a price
  11. date — the fruit
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. cold — not warm
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. cold — an illness
  16. prune — to trim
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. swing — in golf
  20. swing — music
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. charge — electricity
  23. swing — to play on
  24. stand — to bear

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