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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. plane — a tool
  3. charge — in control
  4. kid — child
  5. bat — the animal
  6. charge — a price
  7. race — a contest
  8. kid — to tease
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. stem — to come from
  12. charge — electricity
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. race — humankind
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. race — the arms race
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bat — for baseball

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