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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: snap · bear · stand · race · temple · content · rush · mark

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. 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. content — the amount
  2. bear — the animal
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. snap — to click
  5. rush — hurry
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. mark — a trace
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. content — happy
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bear — the animal
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. race — the arms race
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. race — a contest
  21. mark — a grade
  22. stand — to bear
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. 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