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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 116 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 ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. suit — clothes
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. race — a contest
  7. rush — hurry
  8. prune — to trim
  9. race — humankind
  10. plane — a tool
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. prune — to trim
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. race — the arms race
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. bat — the animal
  17. root — the cause
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. suit — to fit
  20. root — of a word
  21. suit — in cards
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. root — of a plant

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