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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: season · cue · arm · race · plane · nail

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. race — the arms race
  3. race — a contest
  4. cue — for pool
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. cue — a hint
  7. plane — a tool
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. season — in sport
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. cue — a signal
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. season — of the year
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. race — humankind

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