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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. race — a contest
  3. sharp — clever
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. plane — a tool
  6. rush — hurry
  7. spell — a short time
  8. spell — letters
  9. race — the arms race
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. mug — a face
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. pit — in a race
  18. race — humankind
  19. mug — a cup
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. spell — magic
  22. pit — a hole
  23. mug — to rob
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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