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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 120 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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. race — the arms race
  4. rash — hasty
  5. bank — for money
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. race — humankind
  8. pound — a weight
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. plane — a tool
  11. bat — the animal
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. bank — of a river
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. bank — for money
  21. race — a contest
  22. rash — a series
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fan — a supporter

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