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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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 — a strongbox
  3. wound — an injury
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. fork — in a road
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. wound — an injury
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. capital — a city
  14. roll — a cake
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. roll — a list
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. capital — money
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. safe — out of danger

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