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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: chest · object · suit · kick · temple · cue · face · race

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. face — part of the head
  3. race — the arms race
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. suit — to fit
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. object — to protest
  9. cue — for pool
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. chest — of your body
  12. suit — clothes
  13. suit — in cards
  14. object — a thing
  15. chest — of your body
  16. face — to point toward
  17. cue — a hint
  18. kick — in football
  19. race — a contest
  20. race — humankind
  21. face — to confront
  22. cue — a signal
  23. object — an aim
  24. chest — a box

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