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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: temple · bore · safe · race · nail · chest · can · present

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. present — a gift
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. bore — to tire
  7. race — humankind
  8. can — a tin
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. race — a contest
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. can — a tin
  14. bore — to drill
  15. present — there
  16. race — the arms race
  17. can — to be able to
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. chest — of your body
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. chest — a box
  24. present — the time now

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