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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. race — humankind
  4. race — the arms race
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. chest — of your body
  8. mate — a partner
  9. mine — for digging
  10. kick — in football
  11. plane — a tool
  12. bulb — for light
  13. mate — a friend
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. cue — a signal
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. mate — to breed
  18. cue — a hint
  19. chest — a box
  20. cue — for pool
  21. chest — of your body
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. mine — belonging to me

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