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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. race — humankind
  3. object — a thing
  4. deal — to handle
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. land — to come down
  7. land — a country
  8. field — farmland
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. field — a subject
  11. race — a contest
  12. staff — employees
  13. land — ground
  14. staff — a stick
  15. object — an aim
  16. plane — a tool
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. race — the arms race
  19. field — for sport
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. staff — employees
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. object — to protest
  24. kick — a thrill

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