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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: ruler · last · cell · arm · safe · temple · date · can

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. cell — in biology
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. last — final
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — to be able to
  10. cell — a phone
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. date — the fruit
  13. last — finally
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. can — a tin
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. last — to go on
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. arm — part of the body

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