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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: can · march · rush · race · temple · chip · game · suit

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. chip — to eat
  4. suit — to fit
  5. rush — hurry
  6. can — a tin
  7. march — the month
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. race — a contest
  10. can — to be able to
  11. game — wild animals
  12. can — a tin
  13. race — the arms race
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. suit — in cards
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. game — a match
  20. race — humankind
  21. suit — clothes
  22. chip — for betting
  23. march — music
  24. temple — a place of worship

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