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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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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: safe · tear · patient · leaves · lean · cell · pop · temple

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. pop — to visit
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. lean — thin
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. cell — in biology
  12. tear — to rip
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. pop — music
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. tear — from crying
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. pop — soda
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. tear — from crying
  24. lean — to bend

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