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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. race — the arms race
  3. cue — a hint
  4. race — humankind
  5. mate — a partner
  6. bulb — for light
  7. race — a contest
  8. cue — for pool
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. rock — a stone
  11. mate — to breed
  12. rock — music
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. bulb — for light
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. mate — a friend
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. rule — a law
  21. cue — a signal
  22. rule — government
  23. deal — to handle
  24. deal — an agreement

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