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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: lie · temple · land · cue · safe · cold · prune · deal

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. deal — to handle
  3. prune — to trim
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. cue — for pool
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. land — ground
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. prune — to trim
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. cold — an illness
  15. cue — a hint
  16. lie — to recline
  17. cue — a signal
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. land — a country
  21. cold — not warm
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. land — to come down
  24. lie — an untruth

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