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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. cap — of ice
  3. race — a contest
  4. cap — a hat
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bound — certain
  7. cap — a lid
  8. wax — to grow
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. root — of a word
  11. root — the cause
  12. bound — obliged
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. race — humankind
  15. race — the arms race
  16. root — of a plant
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. plane — a tool
  24. rush — to hurry

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