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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. race — humankind
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. race — a contest
  6. board — a committee
  7. plane — a tool
  8. track — a song
  9. date — the fruit
  10. rash — hasty
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. ball — a great time
  13. rash — a series
  14. track — a path
  15. track — to keep track
  16. board — to get on
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. race — the arms race
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. ball — a dance
  24. lie — to recline

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