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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: lash · bear · temple · safe · wave · fall · degree · mine

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. fall — to drop
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. bear — the animal
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. degree — temperature
  12. degree — from a university
  13. mine — for digging
  14. fall — the season
  15. fall — to drop
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. degree — an amount
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bear — the animal
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. safe — a strongbox

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