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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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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. suit — in cards
  9. season — in sport
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. suit — clothes
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. season — of the year
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. suit — to fit

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