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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. court — of law
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. race — humankind
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. race — a contest
  10. bulb — for light
  11. last — to go on
  12. bulb — for light
  13. swing — in golf
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. last — finally
  17. court — of a king
  18. last — final
  19. plane — a tool
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. swing — to play on
  22. court — for sport
  23. swing — music
  24. nail — for a hammer

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