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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: safe · last · tube · firm · pitch · mouse · temple · chest

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. chest — a box
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. last — final
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. tube — a container
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. firm — steady
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. last — to go on
  15. pitch — completely
  16. chest — of your body
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. last — finally
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. firm — decided
  21. chest — of your body
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. tube — the underground
  24. firm — a company

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