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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. race — humankind
  3. bat — the animal
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. current — happening now
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. current — electric
  8. deal — to handle
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. current — of water
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. race — a contest
  17. firm — decided
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. firm — steady
  20. firm — a company
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. race — the arms race

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