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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. race — the arms race
  5. object — a thing
  6. tear — from crying
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. race — humankind
  9. object — to protest
  10. object — an aim
  11. board — a committee
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. fine — all right
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. tear — to rip
  19. board — to get on
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. pass — a permit
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. tear — from crying
  24. fine — high quality

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