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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 120 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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. deal — to handle
  4. plane — a tool
  5. staff — employees
  6. mark — a grade
  7. race — the arms race
  8. wound — an injury
  9. spring — the season
  10. spring — of water
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. race — a contest
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. mark — a trace
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. race — humankind
  17. staff — employees
  18. branch — a division
  19. staff — a stick
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. spring — a coil
  22. wound — an injury
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. mark — to pay attention

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