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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. mate — a friend
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. race — the arms race
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. field — a subject
  7. can — a tin
  8. rush — hurry
  9. lean — to bend
  10. mate — a partner
  11. race — humankind
  12. key — the most important part
  13. race — a contest
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. can — to be able to
  17. mate — to breed
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. key — in music
  20. field — for sport
  21. key — for a lock
  22. field — farmland
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. lean — thin

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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