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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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468
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: cabinet · lie · mine · pass · nail · temple · tube · race

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. lie — to recline
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. tube — a container
  10. pass — a permit
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. race — humankind
  14. tube — the underground
  15. race — the arms race
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. mine — for digging
  21. race — a contest
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. nail — on a finger

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