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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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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: hide · temple · bore · date · bowl · cue · race · dip

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. cue — a signal
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. race — humankind
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. bore — to tire
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bore — to drill
  11. date — the fruit
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. cue — a hint
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. race — the arms race
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. cue — for pool
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. dip — to sink
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. dip — to dunk

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