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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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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: chair · board · stem · drill · temple · racket · foot · race

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. foot — a measure
  3. drill — the tool
  4. race — a contest
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. board — a committee
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. drill — a practice
  12. drill — army training
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. chair — a leader
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. race — humankind
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. stem — to come from
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. board — to get on

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