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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. mark — a trace
  3. rash — a series
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. clip — to cut
  6. charge — electricity
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. race — a contest
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. charge — in control
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. charge — a price
  15. stem — to come from
  16. plane — a tool
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. clip — a video
  19. clip — for paper
  20. race — humankind
  21. mark — a grade
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. pass — a permit
  24. rash — hasty

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