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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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Word bank
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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: present · stock · snap · safe · temple · bulb · track · fork

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. bulb — for light
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. snap — to click
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. present — there
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. present — a gift
  14. track — a path
  15. track — to keep track
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. stock — shares
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. stock — goods
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. present — the time now
  22. fork — in a road
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. track — a song

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