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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. squash — to crush
  3. squash — the sport
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. content — the amount
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. present — there
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. content — happy
  11. bank — of a river
  12. present — the time now
  13. bank — for money
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. present — a gift
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. bank — for money

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