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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. race — a contest
  3. track — a path
  4. rash — a series
  5. face — part of the head
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. face — to point toward
  8. bank — for money
  9. race — humankind
  10. track — to keep track
  11. bank — of a river
  12. face — to confront
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. craft — a skill
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. bank — for money
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. lean — thin
  21. track — a song
  22. race — the arms race
  23. craft — boats
  24. lean — to bend

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