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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: current · toast · race · pit · ruler · temple

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. toast — bread
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. race — humankind
  9. current — of water
  10. pit — in a race
  11. race — the arms race
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. current — happening now
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pit — a hole
  18. current — electric

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