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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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. race — humankind
  4. race — the arms race
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. board — to get on
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. pitch — completely
  15. race — a contest
  16. board — a committee
  17. degree — from a university
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. degree — temperature
  20. degree — an amount
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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