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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: capital · stick · rash · chest · temple · race

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. chest — a box
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. capital — money
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. chest — of your body
  7. rash — hasty
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. race — humankind
  10. rash — a series
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. race — the arms race
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. capital — a city
  17. race — a contest
  18. stick — a piece of wood

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