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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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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. band — a ring
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. file — a tool
  5. plane — a tool
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. race — a contest
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. game — wild animals
  12. race — humankind
  13. game — a match
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. ball — a great time
  16. race — the arms race
  17. file — a document
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. ball — a dance
  23. band — a music group
  24. band — a rubber band

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