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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. saw — the tool
  4. branch — a division
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. staff — employees
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. staff — employees
  15. staff — a stick
  16. rash — hasty
  17. saw — the tool
  18. rash — a series
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. date — the fruit
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. jam — in traffic

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