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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: key · tube · band · racket · temple · race · pass · craft

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. band — a ring
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. race — humankind
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. craft — boats
  14. craft — a skill
  15. key — for a lock
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. tube — a container
  18. key — in music
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. tube — the underground
  21. race — the arms race
  22. race — a contest
  23. key — the most important part
  24. band — a music group

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