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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. face — to confront
  7. race — a contest
  8. face — to point toward
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. club — for golf
  11. plane — a tool
  12. row — to paddle
  13. bass — the fish
  14. race — humankind
  15. row — a line
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. race — the arms race
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. bass — low music
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. club — for dancing
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. face — part of the head
  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