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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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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: pitcher · fall · safe · bound · bat · temple · nail · fan

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bat — the animal
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. bound — tied together
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. bound — certain
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fall — to drop
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. fall — the season
  19. bound — obliged
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. temple — side of the head

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