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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. race — a contest
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. lean — to bend
  5. rash — hasty
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. last — to go on
  8. lean — thin
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. club — a group
  11. last — finally
  12. club — for golf
  13. rash — a series
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. last — final
  16. toast — bread
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. race — the arms race
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. club — for dancing
  22. race — humankind
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. plane — a tool

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