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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. cue — a signal
  4. rock — a stone
  5. race — a contest
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. kick — in football
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. bound — certain
  11. bound — tied together
  12. cue — for pool
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. rock — music
  16. race — the arms race
  17. race — humankind
  18. bound — obliged
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. cue — a hint
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. plane — an aircraft

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