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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: coach · temple · fan · face · race · craft · land · racket

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. craft — boats
  5. land — a country
  6. race — a contest
  7. race — humankind
  8. race — the arms race
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. craft — a skill
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. land — to come down
  17. face — to confront
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. face — part of the head
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. face — to point toward
  24. racket — a loud noise

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