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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. The water is too ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — not warm
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. bank — for money
  6. cold — an illness
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. root — of a plant
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. root — the cause
  12. tear — to rip
  13. game — wild animals
  14. tear — from crying
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. bank — of a river
  17. root — of a word
  18. bank — for money
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. game — a match
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. tear — from crying
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. chair — a leader

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