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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: race · racket · board · temple · bulb · charge · field · nail

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. field — a subject
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. bulb — for light
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. race — humankind
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. field — for sport
  10. race — the arms race
  11. bulb — for light
  12. race — a contest
  13. charge — in control
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. field — farmland
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. charge — electricity
  18. charge — a price
  19. board — to get on
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. board — a committee
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. temple — side of the head

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