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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: racket · plane · hand · race · chip · bound · temple · bay

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. race — humankind
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. hand — help
  9. bound — tied together
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. race — the arms race
  12. chip — for betting
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bound — certain
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. chip — to eat
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. plane — a tool
  21. race — a contest
  22. bound — obliged
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. plane — in geometry

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