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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 · temple · cue · bore · mark · chest · key · rush

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. chest — of your body
  5. mark — a trace
  6. cue — a signal
  7. cue — for pool
  8. race — a contest
  9. bore — to drill
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. mark — a grade
  12. key — for a lock
  13. chest — a box
  14. rush — hurry
  15. bore — to tire
  16. chest — of your body
  17. key — in music
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. key — the most important part
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. cue — a hint
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. race — humankind
  24. bore — gave birth

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