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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. craft — a skill
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. pop — soda
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. rush — hurry
  8. tube — a container
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. pop — music
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. tube — the underground
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. date — the fruit
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. pop — to visit
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. craft — boats
  24. date — on the calendar

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