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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. cell — in biology
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. cell — a phone
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. race — a contest
  7. mate — to breed
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. mate — a partner
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. mate — a friend
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. chair — a leader
  19. pound — a weight
  20. race — the arms race
  21. can — a tin
  22. plane — a tool
  23. can — to be able to
  24. can — a tin

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