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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. cap — of ice
  6. cap — a hat
  7. race — humankind
  8. mine — for digging
  9. craft — boats
  10. race — the arms race
  11. cap — a lid
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. race — a contest
  15. craft — a skill
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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