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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 116 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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. cap — a lid
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. rest — what's left
  5. race — a contest
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. hand — help
  9. rest — a break
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. mark — a grade
  12. race — the arms race
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. cap — of ice
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. plane — a tool
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. hand — in cards
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. cap — a hat
  22. rest — what's left
  23. mark — a trace
  24. race — humankind

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