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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: race · plane · temple · ruler · wax · march

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. march — music
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. march — the month
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. wax — to grow
  12. march — the month
  13. race — a contest
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. race — humankind
  18. plane — a tool

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