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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. game — a match
  4. race — humankind
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bear — the animal
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. plane — a tool
  13. race — a contest
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bear — the animal
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. wake — a trail
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. game — wild animals
  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