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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 120 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 information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. race — humankind
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. court — for sport
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. file — a line of people
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. root — the cause
  10. court — of a king
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. cell — in biology
  13. race — a contest
  14. court — of law
  15. board — a committee
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. cell — a phone
  19. root — of a plant
  20. plane — a tool
  21. board — to get on
  22. race — the arms race
  23. root — of a word
  24. file — a tool

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