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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
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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: temple · safe · file · suit · ground · land · date · wax

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. land — to come down
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. land — a country
  7. ground — a position
  8. ground — the earth
  9. file — a document
  10. file — a tool
  11. suit — clothes
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. date — the fruit
  14. ground — crushed
  15. file — a line of people
  16. wax — to grow
  17. suit — to fit
  18. land — ground
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. suit — in cards
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. date — on the calendar

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