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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: plane · cabinet · pitch · spell · cue · race · nail · ball

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. plane — a tool
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. pitch — completely
  5. spell — magic
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. cue — a hint
  8. cue — a signal
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. ball — a great time
  11. ball — a dance
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. race — humankind
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. cue — for pool
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. spell — a short time
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. spell — letters
  24. race — a contest

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