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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: suit · jam · temple · capital · mouse · rest · safe · row

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. suit — clothes
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. suit — in cards
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — a break
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. suit — to fit
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. row — to paddle
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. rest — what's left
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. capital — money
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. capital — a city
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. temple — a place of worship

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