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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.

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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: straw · object · key · lash · last · temple · kid · safe

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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. temple — a place of worship
  4. object — an aim
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. key — the most important part
  9. last — final
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. key — in music
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. last — to go on
  15. kid — to tease
  16. object — to protest
  17. object — a thing
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. kid — child
  21. last — finally
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. key — for a lock

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