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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: fall · row · bound · temple · bore · march · safe · kick

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. fall — to drop
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bore — to tire
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. kick — in football
  10. bore — to drill
  11. march — music
  12. row — a line
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bound — certain
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. march — the month
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. bound — tied together
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. fall — to drop
  21. march — the month
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. row — to paddle
  24. fall — the season

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