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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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Word bank
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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. race — a contest
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. race — humankind
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. band — a ring
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. press — to push
  12. press — a publisher
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. band — a music group
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. race — the arms race
  20. fork — in a road
  21. press — newspapers
  22. bark — to shout
  23. plane — a tool
  24. arm — a part of something

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