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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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Word bank
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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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. kid — to tease
  6. kid — child
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rush — hurry
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. wound — an injury
  11. firm — steady
  12. race — humankind
  13. firm — decided
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. race — a contest
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. race — the arms race
  20. firm — a company
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. wound — an injury
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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