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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. race — the arms race
  3. race — humankind
  4. suit — in cards
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. drill — a practice
  7. drill — the tool
  8. mate — a friend
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. cue — a hint
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. cue — a signal
  13. mate — to breed
  14. mate — a partner
  15. capital — money
  16. drill — army training
  17. suit — to fit
  18. cue — for pool
  19. cap — of ice
  20. suit — clothes
  21. cap — a lid
  22. race — a contest
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. capital — a city

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