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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. hand — help
  4. race — humankind
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. plane — a tool
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. pass — a permit
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. race — a contest
  13. branch — a division
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — to be able to
  19. race — the arms race
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. hand — in cards

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