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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 116 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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. root — of a word
  3. race — humankind
  4. file — a document
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. file — a line of people
  7. root — of a plant
  8. swing — in golf
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. race — a contest
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. swing — to play on
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. file — a tool
  16. race — the arms race
  17. root — the cause
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. swing — music
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. wake — a trail

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