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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. mine — for digging
  3. march — the month
  4. mate — to breed
  5. march — the month
  6. cap — of ice
  7. cap — a hat
  8. mate — a partner
  9. race — the arms race
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. club — a group
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. club — for golf
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. race — a contest
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. cap — a lid
  18. mate — a friend
  19. march — music
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. plane — a tool
  22. race — humankind
  23. club — for dancing
  24. plane — an aircraft

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