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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. file — a document
  3. file — a tool
  4. plane — a tool
  5. band — a ring
  6. last — final
  7. file — a line of people
  8. last — to go on
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. last — finally
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. race — a contest
  14. net — in sport
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. rash — a series
  17. net — for catching
  18. net — after costs
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. band — a music group
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. rash — hasty
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. race — the arms race

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