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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. date — the fruit
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. can — a tin
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. race — humankind
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. field — a subject
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. field — farmland
  12. race — a contest
  13. press — newspapers
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. press — a publisher
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. race — the arms race
  20. press — to push
  21. can — to be able to
  22. can — a tin
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. field — for sport

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