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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. race — the arms race
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. plane — a tool
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. charge — in control
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. charge — a price
  14. bear — the animal
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. cold — an illness
  18. bear — the animal
  19. charge — electricity
  20. craft — a skill
  21. cold — not warm
  22. race — humankind
  23. race — a contest
  24. craft — boats

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