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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: mate · race · lie · temple · bore · trunk · firm · wave

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. race — the arms race
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. race — humankind
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. firm — decided
  10. mate — a friend
  11. mate — to breed
  12. bore — to drill
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. firm — a company
  15. firm — steady
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. lie — to recline
  18. bore — to tire
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. race — a contest
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. wave — of the sea

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