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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. race — a contest
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. deal — to handle
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. stem — to come from
  13. race — the arms race
  14. race — humankind
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. rule — government
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. wound — an injury
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. wound — an injury
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. rule — a law

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