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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  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 — in geometry
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. tear — from crying
  4. board — a committee
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. race — humankind
  7. race — a contest
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. plane — a tool
  11. tear — from crying
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. race — the arms race
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. tear — to rip
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. fork — in a road
  18. rush — hurry
  19. content — the amount
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. board — to get on
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. content — happy
  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