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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. race — the arms race
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. ball — a great time
  5. content — happy
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. ball — a dance
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. content — the amount
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. race — a contest
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. toast — bread
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. race — humankind
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. pass — a permit

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