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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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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 · file · safe · temple · bowl · pound · snap · straw

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. snap — to click
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. pound — a weight
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. file — a document
  18. file — a line of people
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. suit — clothes
  21. file — a tool
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. suit — to fit
  24. safe — a strongbox

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