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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.

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: ball · track · can · straw · rash · wind · temple · safe

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. rash — hasty
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. track — a song
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. rash — a series
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. wind — moving air
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. ball — a dance
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. ball — a great time
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. track — a path
  21. track — to keep track
  22. wind — moving air
  23. can — a tin
  24. can — a tin

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