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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. field — a subject
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. cue — a signal
  6. tube — a container
  7. race — a contest
  8. present — the time now
  9. tube — the underground
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. cue — for pool
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. plane — a tool
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. field — for sport
  16. field — farmland
  17. deal — to handle
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. present — there
  21. present — a gift
  22. race — humankind
  23. race — the arms race
  24. deal — an agreement

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