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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. spring — a coil
  4. race — the arms race
  5. sharp — clever
  6. race — a contest
  7. lean — thin
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. spring — of water
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. spring — the season
  14. cap — a hat
  15. cap — a lid
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. face — part of the head
  18. face — to point toward
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. face — to confront
  21. cap — of ice
  22. lean — to bend
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. temple — a place of worship

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