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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. degree — temperature
  7. race — the arms race
  8. staff — employees
  9. pit — a hole
  10. degree — an amount
  11. degree — from a university
  12. staff — employees
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. pound — a weight
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. race — a contest
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. pit — in a race
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. staff — a stick
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. race — humankind
  24. racket — a loud noise

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