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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: safe · cell · snap · chair · rule · track · root · temple

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. track — to keep track
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. chair — a leader
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. track — a path
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. snap — to click
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. root — of a word
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. track — a song
  14. root — the cause
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. root — of a plant
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. rule — government
  23. cell — a phone
  24. cell — in biology

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