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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. row — a line
  5. race — a contest
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. race — the arms race
  9. plane — a tool
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. race — humankind
  12. bound — certain
  13. bound — tied together
  14. bound — obliged
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. shower — rain
  18. shower — to wash
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. row — to paddle
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. pit — a hole

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