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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. staff — a stick
  4. tear — from crying
  5. mug — to rob
  6. tear — from crying
  7. tube — the underground
  8. rash — hasty
  9. mug — a cup
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. race — a contest
  13. staff — employees
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. dip — to sink
  16. plane — a tool
  17. staff — employees
  18. rash — a series
  19. race — the arms race
  20. tear — to rip
  21. tube — a container
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. mug — a face
  24. race — humankind

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