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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: board · temple · race · cap · spell · pitch · pound · suit

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. suit — clothes
  3. cap — of ice
  4. spell — magic
  5. race — the arms race
  6. race — humankind
  7. board — a committee
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. cap — a lid
  10. suit — in cards
  11. spell — letters
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. pound — a weight
  14. race — a contest
  15. suit — to fit
  16. board — to get on
  17. pitch — completely
  18. spell — a short time
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. cap — a hat
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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