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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: degree · charge · temple · rest · wake · race · mouse · pop

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. race — the arms race
  3. charge — in control
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. rest — what's left
  10. degree — from a university
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. rest — a break
  13. charge — electricity
  14. pop — soda
  15. race — a contest
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. pop — music
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. degree — an amount
  20. rest — what's left
  21. wake — a trail
  22. degree — temperature
  23. charge — a price
  24. pop — to visit

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