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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. key — for a lock
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. key — the most important part
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. hand — help
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. race — humankind
  16. key — in music
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. race — a contest
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. plane — a tool
  21. deal — to handle
  22. hand — in cards
  23. date — the fruit
  24. mouse — the animal

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