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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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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: race · saw · temple · row · wave · bowl · mate · fine

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. row — to paddle
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. fine — all right
  5. race — the arms race
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. saw — the tool
  10. fine — high quality
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. row — a line
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. mate — a friend
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. mate — a partner
  19. mate — to breed
  20. saw — the tool
  21. race — a contest
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. wave — with your hand

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