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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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. kid — to tease
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. mark — a grade
  11. mark — a trace
  12. stock — goods
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. branch — a division
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. sharp — clever
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. stock — shares

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