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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. net — in sport
  8. pound — a weight
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. net — for catching
  11. net — after costs
  12. craft — boats
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. present — there
  15. roll — a list
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. present — a gift
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. roll — a cake
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. present — the time now

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