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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 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 assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. fine — all right
  3. file — a document
  4. fine — high quality
  5. race — humankind
  6. file — a tool
  7. march — the month
  8. root — of a plant
  9. march — the month
  10. race — a contest
  11. march — music
  12. firm — a company
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. root — of a word
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. root — the cause
  21. race — the arms race
  22. firm — steady
  23. firm — decided
  24. file — a line of people

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