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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 · cabinet · hand · leaves · spring · squash · deal · temple

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. hand — in cards
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. spring — the season
  9. deal — to handle
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. spring — a coil
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. spring — of water
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. squash — the sport
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. squash — to crush
  23. hand — help
  24. leaves — to go away

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