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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. race — humankind
  3. charge — in control
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. board — a committee
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. race — a contest
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. cap — a lid
  12. vault — a safe
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. charge — electricity
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. dip — to sink
  17. race — the arms race
  18. branch — a division
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. cap — of ice
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. charge — a price
  23. board — to get on
  24. cap — a hat

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