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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 116 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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. net — in sport
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. bank — for money
  6. rock — a stone
  7. rock — music
  8. plane — a tool
  9. charge — a price
  10. row — a line
  11. spell — magic
  12. charge — in control
  13. net — for catching
  14. spell — letters
  15. bank — for money
  16. race — a contest
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. race — the arms race
  19. charge — electricity
  20. spell — a short time
  21. net — after costs
  22. row — to paddle
  23. bank — of a river
  24. rock — to move gently

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