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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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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: pit · mug · race · bear · leaves · temple · straw · rash

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. pit — in a race
  3. race — a contest
  4. rash — hasty
  5. bear — the animal
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. mug — to rob
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. pit — a hole
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. bear — the animal
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. mug — a cup
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. race — the arms race
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. rash — a series
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. race — humankind
  24. rash — on the skin

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