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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. stand — to bear
  3. bear — the animal
  4. degree — temperature
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. degree — from a university
  7. stock — goods
  8. degree — an amount
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bear — the animal
  12. ground — the earth
  13. race — the arms race
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. stock — shares
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. kick — in football
  18. ground — a position
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. race — a contest
  24. ground — crushed

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