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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: suit · sharp · stock · cold · safe · mine · temple · mark

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. cold — an illness
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. mine — for digging
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. stock — goods
  10. mark — a trace
  11. suit — clothes
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. sharp — clever
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. suit — to fit
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. cold — not warm
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. stock — shares
  20. mark — a grade
  21. suit — in cards
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. cold — the Cold War
  24. temple — side of the head

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