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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. rock — a stone
  4. row — a line
  5. charge — in control
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. club — for dancing
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. row — to paddle
  10. race — a contest
  11. race — the arms race
  12. lie — to recline
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. charge — a price
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. race — humankind
  18. club — for golf
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. charge — electricity
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. rock — music
  24. plane — a tool

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