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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. race — the arms race
  3. can — to be able to
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. race — a contest
  7. prune — to trim
  8. pop — music
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. can — a tin
  12. rash — hasty
  13. pop — to visit
  14. pop — soda
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. stand — to bear
  17. prune — to trim
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. race — humankind
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. can — a tin
  24. rash — a series

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