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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. race — humankind
  3. suit — in cards
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. roll — a cake
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. race — the arms race
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. pop — to visit
  10. pop — music
  11. suit — to fit
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. pit — in a race
  14. roll — a list
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. suit — clothes
  17. drill — the tool
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. branch — a division
  20. race — a contest
  21. pit — a hole
  22. drill — army training
  23. pop — soda
  24. drill — a practice

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