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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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 — a contest
  3. tear — from crying
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. snap — to click
  6. tear — from crying
  7. tear — to rip
  8. net — after costs
  9. net — for catching
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. net — in sport
  15. club — for golf
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. club — for dancing
  18. deal — to handle
  19. club — a group
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. race — the arms race
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. race — humankind
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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