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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: temple · deal · snap · stock · safe · net · bore · drill

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. net — after costs
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. stock — goods
  6. drill — army training
  7. stock — shares
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. net — for catching
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. net — in sport
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. deal — to handle
  16. drill — the tool
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bore — to drill
  20. bore — to tire
  21. drill — a practice
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. snap — to click

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