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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: lean · swing · row · wake · band · cell · temple · safe

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. lean — thin
  3. cell — in biology
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. band — a music group
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. band — a ring
  10. swing — music
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. wake — a trail
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. swing — to play on
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. lean — to bend
  19. row — to paddle
  20. row — a line
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. swing — in golf
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. safe — out of danger

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