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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.

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: temple · mug · rash · spring · chest · shower · pitch · safe

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. spring — of water
  4. shower — to wash
  5. shower — rain
  6. chest — a box
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. mug — a face
  11. rash — hasty
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. spring — the season
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. chest — of your body
  16. pitch — completely
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. mug — to rob
  19. mug — a cup
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. rash — a series
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. spring — a coil
  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