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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. race — the arms race
  3. kick — in football
  4. plane — a tool
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. foot — a measure
  7. land — ground
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. deal — to handle
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. land — a country
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. scale — in music
  18. scale — size or range
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. land — to come down
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. race — humankind
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. race — a contest

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