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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. fall — to drop
  3. race — humankind
  4. present — there
  5. rest — a break
  6. rush — hurry
  7. race — the arms race
  8. present — the time now
  9. rest — what's left
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. race — a contest
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rock — music
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. rock — a stone
  19. fall — to drop
  20. fall — the season
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. present — a gift
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. perch — the fish

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