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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. saw — the tool
  10. dip — to sink
  11. saw — the tool
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. race — the arms race
  16. board — a committee
  17. race — a contest
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. board — to get on
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. race — humankind

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