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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: temple · squash · safe · bear · bound · dip · spell · cell

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. spell — letters
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. squash — the sport
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. cell — in biology
  8. cell — a phone
  9. bound — certain
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. bound — tied together
  13. spell — a short time
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. bear — the animal
  16. dip — to sink
  17. squash — to crush
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. spell — magic
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. bound — obliged
  24. squash — the vegetable

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