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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. present — there
  3. present — the time now
  4. lie — to recline
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. row — a line
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. mark — a trace
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. row — to paddle
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. last — to go on
  15. present — a gift
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. last — final
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. last — finally
  22. mark — a grade
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. temple — side of the head

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