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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. race — the arms race
  3. staff — a stick
  4. race — humankind
  5. rest — a break
  6. race — a contest
  7. can — a tin
  8. spring — a coil
  9. mark — a grade
  10. spring — of water
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. staff — employees
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. rest — what's left
  15. track — a path
  16. rest — what's left
  17. track — to keep track
  18. staff — employees
  19. can — a tin
  20. track — a song
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. plane — a tool
  23. mark — a trace
  24. spring — the season

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