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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. race — a contest
  3. shower — rain
  4. face — part of the head
  5. suit — clothes
  6. clip — for paper
  7. root — the cause
  8. face — to point toward
  9. race — the arms race
  10. clip — a video
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. root — of a word
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. clip — to cut
  16. suit — to fit
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. suit — in cards
  19. root — of a plant
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. face — to confront
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. shower — to wash
  24. plane — 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