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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. plane — a tool
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. rash — hasty
  6. rash — a series
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. cell — a phone
  11. race — a contest
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. kick — in football
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. race — humankind
  16. cell — in biology
  17. last — final
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. last — to go on
  23. last — finally
  24. arm — a part of something

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