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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: bore · mark · season · content · dip · safe · nail · temple

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. season — of the year
  3. content — the amount
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. bore — to tire
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. mark — a grade
  15. season — in sport
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. dip — to sink
  19. bore — to drill
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. mark — a trace
  24. content — happy

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