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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. race — a contest
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. kick — in football
  10. root — the cause
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. race — humankind
  13. root — of a plant
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. root — of a word
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. race — the arms race
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. wake — a trail

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