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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. charge — electricity
  7. plane — a tool
  8. race — a contest
  9. rush — hurry
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. charge — in control
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. mug — a cup
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. race — humankind
  17. field — farmland
  18. mug — to rob
  19. field — a subject
  20. field — for sport
  21. mug — a face
  22. charge — a price
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. bore — to drill

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