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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 120 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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. race — humankind
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. race — the arms race
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. race — a contest
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. spell — a short time
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. ball — a dance
  12. spell — letters
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. lie — to recline
  15. snap — to click
  16. chair — a leader
  17. spell — magic
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. ball — a great time
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. shower — to wash
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. shower — rain
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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