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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 116 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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. race — humankind
  6. saw — the tool
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. board — to get on
  9. race — a contest
  10. saw — the tool
  11. race — the arms race
  12. craft — boats
  13. board — a committee
  14. prune — to trim
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. drill — a practice
  17. drill — the tool
  18. drill — army training
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. plane — a tool
  22. craft — a skill
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. prune — to trim

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