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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. race — the arms race
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. ball — a great time
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. race — a contest
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. ball — a dance
  12. rush — hurry
  13. branch — a division
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. plane — a tool
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. pound — a weight
  24. rush — to hurry

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