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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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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: temple · hand · tube · pound · rock · race · cabinet · hide

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. rock — music
  3. race — humankind
  4. race — the arms race
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. pound — a weight
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. hand — help
  12. tube — the underground
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. hand — in cards
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. tube — a container
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. race — a contest
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. rock — a stone
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. hand — part of the body

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