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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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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: fine · mark · safe · straw · mate · kid · temple · can

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  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. fine — a penalty
  2. mate — a friend
  3. mark — a trace
  4. mark — a grade
  5. fine — all right
  6. can — a tin
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. fine — high quality
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. mate — a partner
  12. kid — child
  13. kid — to tease
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mate — to breed
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. can — to be able to
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. can — a tin
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. safe — out of danger
  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