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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. spell — magic
  3. spell — a short time
  4. deal — to handle
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. suit — clothes
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. spell — letters
  11. present — the time now
  12. present — there
  13. present — a gift
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. band — a ring
  19. suit — in cards
  20. band — a music group
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. sharp — clever
  23. suit — to fit
  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