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

Word bank: cap · lie · race · stick · deal · foot · track · plane

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. cap — a hat
  4. track — a song
  5. foot — a measure
  6. race — a contest
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. lie — to recline
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. cap — of ice
  14. deal — to handle
  15. track — a path
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. plane — a tool
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. track — to keep track
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. cap — a lid
  23. race — the arms race
  24. deal — a big deal

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