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

Word bank: present · race · key · stand · chest · temple

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. present — there
  3. race — the arms race
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. chest — of your body
  7. present — a gift
  8. key — the most important part
  9. stand — to bear
  10. present — the time now
  11. key — in music
  12. race — a contest
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. key — for a lock
  16. chest — of your body
  17. chest — a box
  18. temple — a place of worship

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