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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.

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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. ball — a great time
  3. race — a contest
  4. bore — to tire
  5. ground — crushed
  6. bound — tied together
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. bound — obliged
  9. ground — the earth
  10. bound — certain
  11. ball — a dance
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. race — the arms race
  14. bore — to drill
  15. ground — a position
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. race — humankind

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