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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. race — the arms race
  4. mark — a trace
  5. wax — to grow
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. ground — the earth
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. current — happening now
  10. current — of water
  11. vault — a safe
  12. mark — a grade
  13. ground — a position
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. race — humankind
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. race — a contest
  18. ground — crushed
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. current — electric
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. cell — in biology
  24. temple — a place of worship

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