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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. pit — in a race
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. drill — army training
  7. track — to keep track
  8. pit — a hole
  9. spell — magic
  10. race — the arms race
  11. race — a contest
  12. race — humankind
  13. plane — a tool
  14. track — a song
  15. drill — a practice
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. track — a path
  19. wake — a trail
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. spell — a short time
  23. spell — letters
  24. wake — before a funeral

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