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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: craft · mine · race · present · temple · band · fork · safe

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. present — a gift
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. present — there
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. race — humankind
  9. present — the time now
  10. craft — boats
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. mine — for digging
  16. race — the arms race
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. craft — a skill
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. fork — in a road
  21. band — a ring
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. race — a contest

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