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

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. face — to point toward
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. ground — a position
  10. race — the arms race
  11. face — to confront
  12. snap — to click
  13. ground — crushed
  14. ground — the earth
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. face — part of the head
  19. race — humankind
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. hide — animal skin

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