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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. staff — a stick
  3. mate — a friend
  4. net — in sport
  5. race — humankind
  6. net — after costs
  7. staff — employees
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. net — for catching
  13. kick — in football
  14. race — the arms race
  15. mate — to breed
  16. chip — for betting
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. mate — a partner
  20. race — a contest
  21. staff — employees
  22. chip — to eat
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. kick — a thrill

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