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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 · temple · roll · field · bay · squash · kid · bank

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bank — for money
  3. squash — the sport
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. kid — child
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. field — farmland
  13. bank — for money
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. kid — to tease
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. roll — a list
  19. field — for sport
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. squash — to crush
  22. field — a subject
  23. roll — a cake
  24. safe — out of danger

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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