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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. ball — a great time
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. branch — a division
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. stand — to bear
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. race — a contest
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. race — humankind
  16. ball — a dance
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. race — the arms race
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. plane — an aircraft

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