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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: jam · net · rest · march · temple · safe · bore · snap

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. rest — what's left
  4. net — in sport
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. march — the month
  7. bore — to drill
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. net — after costs
  13. snap — to click
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. march — music
  16. rest — a break
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. net — for catching
  22. bore — to tire
  23. rest — what's left
  24. march — the month

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