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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. wound — an injury
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. plane — a tool
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. rock — a stone
  12. race — a contest
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. race — humankind
  15. wound — an injury
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. mine — for digging
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. rock — music
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. patient — a sick person

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