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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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: content · temple · face · game · root · race · fan · pop

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. pop — soda
  3. race — the arms race
  4. pop — to visit
  5. root — of a plant
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. face — to point toward
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. face — part of the head
  11. face — to confront
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. root — the cause
  15. race — humankind
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. pop — music
  20. content — happy
  21. content — the amount
  22. game — wild animals
  23. race — a contest
  24. root — of a word

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