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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.

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: toast · bat · sharp · coach · wax · straw · safe · temple

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. toast — bread
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. bat — the animal
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. sharp — clever
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. wax — to grow
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. safe — out of danger

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