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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. branch — a division
  4. craft — boats
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. cap — a hat
  9. craft — a skill
  10. current — of water
  11. cap — a lid
  12. current — happening now
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. current — electric
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. cap — of ice
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. mine — for digging
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. snap — to click

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