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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: snap · rash · root · craft · temple · stock · race · safe

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. race — humankind
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. stock — shares
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. stock — goods
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. snap — to click
  10. rash — a series
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. root — of a plant
  14. rash — hasty
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. root — of a word
  17. race — the arms race
  18. craft — boats
  19. craft — a skill
  20. race — a contest
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. root — the cause

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