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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: temple · bore · kid · safe · ruler · cell · calf · stock

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. cell — a phone
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bore — to drill
  8. bore — to tire
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. kid — to tease
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. cell — in biology
  21. stock — shares
  22. kid — child
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. stock — goods

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