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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. race — a contest
  3. squash — to crush
  4. ground — the earth
  5. can — a tin
  6. plane — a tool
  7. bore — to tire
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. ground — a position
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bear — the animal
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. squash — the sport
  14. can — to be able to
  15. race — humankind
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. race — the arms race
  18. can — a tin
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. ground — crushed
  22. hand — in cards
  23. bore — to drill
  24. hand — help

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