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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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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: pass · ball · hand · temple · race · cue

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. hand — in cards
  3. ball — a dance
  4. cue — a hint
  5. ball — a great time
  6. race — the arms race
  7. race — a contest
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. pass — a permit
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. cue — for pool
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. cue — a signal
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. hand — help
  18. race — humankind

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