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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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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: fan · race · temple · key · arm · mate · spell · deal

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. race — humankind
  3. spell — letters
  4. race — the arms race
  5. key — the most important part
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. mate — to breed
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. deal — to handle
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. mate — a partner
  15. spell — magic
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. race — a contest
  21. key — for a lock
  22. key — in music
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. spell — a short time

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