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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 120 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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. object — an aim
  3. chip — for betting
  4. bass — low music
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. bass — the fish
  8. race — the arms race
  9. object — to protest
  10. race — humankind
  11. last — finally
  12. object — a thing
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. last — to go on
  15. chip — to eat
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. race — a contest
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. bank — for money
  20. plane — a tool
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — of a river
  23. last — final
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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