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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. chip — for betting
  4. bore — to drill
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. chip — to eat
  7. bank — for money
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. bank — of a river
  12. wax — to grow
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. bore — to tire
  16. ball — a dance
  17. bank — for money
  18. race — humankind
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. race — the arms race
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. race — a contest
  24. ball — a great time

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