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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: straw · temple · object · game · safe · sharp · pass · perch

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. sharp — clever
  5. game — wild animals
  6. game — a match
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. perch — the fish
  13. object — a thing
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. object — to protest
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. object — an aim
  24. temple — a place of worship

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