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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. bank — of a river
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. race — a contest
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. spring — the season
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. race — the arms race
  10. firm — decided
  11. spring — a coil
  12. face — to confront
  13. spring — of water
  14. saw — the tool
  15. plane — a tool
  16. bank — for money
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bank — for money
  19. face — part of the head
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. face — to point toward
  22. firm — steady
  23. race — humankind
  24. fan — a supporter

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