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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  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. race — the arms race
  3. suit — clothes
  4. file — a document
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. race — a contest
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. suit — in cards
  11. wound — an injury
  12. file — a line of people
  13. cap — of ice
  14. file — a tool
  15. wind — moving air
  16. race — humankind
  17. wind — moving air
  18. cap — a lid
  19. wound — an injury
  20. plane — a tool
  21. suit — to fit
  22. cap — a hat
  23. wind — to turn a key
  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