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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. deal — to handle
  9. mate — to breed
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. mate — a friend
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. mate — a partner
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — of a river
  19. pass — a permit
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. mark — a grade
  22. mark — a trace
  23. bank — for money
  24. temple — a place of worship

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