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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 120 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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. race — humankind
  3. net — for catching
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. net — in sport
  6. bound — obliged
  7. charge — in control
  8. wake — a trail
  9. bound — tied together
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. race — a contest
  12. race — the arms race
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. mark — a trace
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. charge — a price
  21. mark — a grade
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. bound — certain
  24. charge — electricity

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