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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. race — the arms race
  3. race — a contest
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. race — humankind
  6. mate — a partner
  7. charge — a price
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. field — a subject
  14. field — for sport
  15. field — farmland
  16. mate — to breed
  17. stem — to come from
  18. plane — a tool
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. mate — a friend
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. charge — electricity
  24. charge — in control

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