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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: suit · race · temple · bound · fine · sharp · ball · toast

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. suit — to fit
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. bound — certain
  7. ball — a great time
  8. toast — bread
  9. ball — a dance
  10. race — humankind
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. suit — in cards
  14. sharp — clever
  15. suit — clothes
  16. bound — obliged
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. fine — high quality
  20. race — the arms race
  21. fine — all right
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bound — tied together
  24. fine — a penalty

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