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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: temple · prune · saw · bear · kid · safe · nail · pit

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. saw — the tool
  3. kid — child
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. saw — the tool
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. prune — to trim
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. prune — to trim
  13. kid — to tease
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. pit — a hole
  23. safe — out of danger
  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