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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: lie · race · temple · pitch · mouse · mine · present · wound

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. race — humankind
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. present — a gift
  5. present — the time now
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. race — a contest
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. race — the arms race
  11. mine — for digging
  12. lie — to recline
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. wound — an injury
  17. present — there
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. pitch — completely
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. wound — an injury

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