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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 120 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: bore · saw · wake · safe · rest · shower · temple · bowl

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. shower — rain
  8. rest — what's left
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. saw — the tool
  12. bore — to drill
  13. wake — a trail
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. shower — to wash
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. rest — a break
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. saw — the tool
  24. bowl — a football final

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