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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: rock · ball · mine · temple · nail · race · charge · spell

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. mine — for digging
  3. race — humankind
  4. ball — a dance
  5. rock — a stone
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. spell — a short time
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. ball — a great time
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. race — the arms race
  14. charge — in control
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. charge — a price
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. spell — letters
  20. charge — electricity
  21. race — a contest
  22. spell — magic
  23. rock — music
  24. mine — belonging to me

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