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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: spell · race · charge · cue · plane · stem · chest · lie

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. race — the arms race
  3. lie — to recline
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. cue — a hint
  6. spell — magic
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. race — humankind
  9. cue — a signal
  10. spell — letters
  11. chest — a box
  12. charge — a price
  13. chest — of your body
  14. stem — to come from
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. charge — electricity
  17. cue — for pool
  18. race — a contest
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. charge — in control
  23. chest — of your body
  24. plane — a tool

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