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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. race — the arms race
  3. cue — a hint
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. hand — in cards
  6. file — a document
  7. hand — help
  8. club — for golf
  9. file — a tool
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. craft — a skill
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. cue — for pool
  15. club — a group
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. file — a line of people
  18. cue — a signal
  19. race — a contest
  20. craft — boats
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. plane — a tool
  23. club — for dancing
  24. plane — an aircraft

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