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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. race — humankind
  5. plane — a tool
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. land — ground
  8. land — a country
  9. land — to come down
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. race — a contest
  12. kick — in football
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. lean — thin
  15. lean — to bend
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. current — of water
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. current — happening now
  21. prune — to trim
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. prune — to trim
  24. current — electric

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