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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: temple · lean · race · bat · last · safe · plane · mouse

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. plane — a tool
  5. last — finally
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. race — the arms race
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. lean — to bend
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. bat — the animal
  17. last — final
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. race — a contest
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. lean — thin
  23. last — to go on
  24. lean — to rest against

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