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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. cold — an illness
  3. race — the arms race
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. suit — to fit
  6. race — humankind
  7. present — there
  8. present — a gift
  9. suit — in cards
  10. kick — in football
  11. cap — of ice
  12. cap — a hat
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. race — a contest
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. suit — clothes
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. cold — not warm
  22. deal — to handle
  23. cap — a lid
  24. kick — a thrill

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