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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. pound — a weight
  3. race — the arms race
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. race — humankind
  6. craft — a skill
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. race — a contest
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. chair — a leader
  15. date — the fruit
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. craft — boats
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. plane — a tool

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