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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. race — the arms race
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. bound — certain
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. race — a contest
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. race — humankind
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bass — low music
  16. bass — the fish
  17. bound — obliged
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. perch — the fish

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