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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. race — a contest
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. race — the arms race
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. plane — a tool
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. track — to keep track
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. lean — thin
  12. saw — the tool
  13. track — a song
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. lean — to bend
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. saw — the tool
  21. race — humankind
  22. craft — a skill
  23. craft — boats
  24. cabinet — ministers

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